14 
ON STAGGERS IN HORSES. 
turbed ; and I am inclined to think, that, could the animal be re¬ 
strained from the violent exertions it is disposed to make, it would 
appear low all through the disease. The respiration is not affected, 
except occasionally, from the above-named cause. There is 
always a most obstinate costiveness, and the urine is very high- 
coloured, and generally thrown off with a violent effort. As the 
disease proceeds, loss of sensibility comes on, and the animal 
reels in his walk, and, with his eyes vacantly staring, presses 
forward against any object which may happen to be in his 
path, and, if left to himself, would infallibly find his way into a 
ditch or pond; but if, as is generally practised, he is tied to a 
swivel, he runs round till he falls. I have seen at one time, 
and apparently all attacked with the disease at the same mo¬ 
ment, three horses, out of a team of four, belonging to farmer 
Chapman, of Perrivale, tied up in the manner described. I 
have known, though rarely, the complaint come on and death 
take place in a few hours, with strong marks of putrescence. 
But generally, I believe, it does not acquire its full powers for 
four or five days, if left to itself; but, as is too often the case 
when it has not made sufficient progress to be observed by the 
driver (and very often wdien it has), the horse undergoes his 
usual fatigue, and it is by that means speedily brought to a 
dreadful height. 
The distinction of mad and sleepy staggers I think not neces¬ 
sary, as the disease is precisely the same in every feature, except 
that in the one the animal holds the head to the ground and 
quietly inclines forward, while, in the other, he moves on in a 
furious manner. 
In the course of the disease, not unfrequently the horse yawns, 
and sometimes stretches himself, which, according to my obser¬ 
vation, is a bad omen; for those I have marked doing so, have 
generally died. So, likewise, is cold clammy sweat breaking 
out partially or generally, a bad symptom ; and a still worse 
symptom, after which 1 never knew recovery, is the horse 
neighing upon being roused by the opening of a door, or any 
noise. On the other hand, if sense and desire for food return 
gradually, there is hope of recovery; which is much strength¬ 
ened if the costiveness gives way, and the extremities become 
warm and swell, or if a determination to the nose and lips takes 
place. But it sometimes happens that, towards the end of the 
disease, a sudden alteration in some of the symptoms takes place, 
apparently for the better, such as taking a little fluid and be¬ 
coming calm : but this is delusive, as a person acquainted wuth it 
would discover, by the then quickened state of the pulse and 
the coldness of the extremities, and they being at the same time 
