488 
MR. YOUATT S VETERINARY LECTURES. 
CATS. 
The manner in which a young cat under dentition will often 
dash about a room, and the mischief which it will unconsciously 
do to the crockery-ware, and to the owner if he or she should be 
foolish enough to lay hold of it, are sufficient proofs of the ex¬ 
tent to which epilepsy is occasionally developed in this animal. 
The only thing that can be done is to put a little calomel and 
emetic tartar in the milk which is given to it, and which will 
both puke and purge the patient, and thus probably get rid of a 
portion of the cause of irritation, 
POULTRY AND CAGED BIRDS. 
There are few more frequent causes of death among caged 
birds, and poultry that are much confined and put up for fatten¬ 
ing, than megrims or giddiness—in other words, epilepsy. Even 
in their usual walks poultry of all kinds will often suddenly stop, 
fall, struggle for a few minutes, and, although recovering their 
consciousness, yet hang their wings and droop for many an hour. 
Our most valuable caged birds will suddenly fall from their 
perches, and, after a few struggles, die; at other times the fit 
will pass over, and they will linger on to experience a second or 
third attack, which, at length, is fatal. 
Treatment .—After a direct attack of epilepsy, from one quarter 
of a grain to a grain of calomel, and the same quantity of emetic 
tartar, should be given in a little butter, and washed down with 
warm water. When the premonitory symptoms of giddiness and 
staggering have been observed, the same remedy should be re¬ 
sorted to; and for all cases of stupidity and constipation, calo¬ 
mel—the quantity rarely exceeding two grains for the largest 
bird, and sulphur to the extent of four or five grains, will prove 
an excellent alterative. 
DOGS. 
Of all our patients, dogs are most exposed to epilepsy, and in 
them it assumes the most fatal character. It is an accompani¬ 
ment or a consequence of almost every other disease. Does a 
puppy undergo the process of dentition ? the irritation produced 
by the pressure of the tooth as it penetrates the gum leads on to 
epilepsy. Is he going through the stages of distemper? with a 
very little bad treatment, or in spite of the best treatment, fits 
occur. Has he worms? the degree of intestinal irritation which 
is set up is marked by an attack of epilepsy. Has his usual 
exercise been neglected for a few days, and then he is taken out 
