THE STAGGERS, OR APOPLEXY. 
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in this condition from one to twelve hours; he then falls. 
His eyes are open and protruding, with a fixed, seemingly 
unconscious, stare, with the pupils much dilated ; he grinds 
his teeth, the whole frame manifests twitchings, the vein of 
the neck is inflated, his muzzle is cold, and in attempting 
to swallow, the drink is returned by the nostrils and mouth, 
and he dungs involuntarily : strong convulsive twitchings 
fidlow, and these are the certain preludes to death. 
In the first stages of the disease it comes on progressively, 
with depression, sleepiness, and feebleness, which is distinctly 
indicated by dulness of the eye. As it increases, he presses 
his head against the wall or the rack, and when aroused 
from this position he seems alarmed. 
Causes. —A deranged state of the digestive organs is the 
most ordinary cause, and this is the effect of over-feeding 
in many cases. Some persons are so foolish as to suppose 
that horses may have as much grain as they can eat, and 
that it will do them no harm. This is a serious mistake ; 
because, even without the aid of water, the grain will swell 
in the stomach, and from being completely overloaded, in¬ 
digestion follows, the stomach being too much distended to 
be able to perform its office. Hence the head is affected ; 
as in the animal economy a very intimate connexion exists 
between the brain and stomach, each reciprocally influencing 
the other. The want of air and exercise with horses which 
are highly fed also tend strongly to derange the stomach, 
more especially during warm weather. The bracing in¬ 
fluence of exercise being wanting to give energy to the 
actions of the intestinal canal, the food frequently lodges 
there. This is also caused by the food being bad. Another 
cause is irregularity in watering horses, as this element is 
peculiarly necessary to animals which live upon dry food. 
Every horse should be watered at least four times during the 
