668 
GRASS-STAGGERS. 
be worthless unless founded upon twelve or fourteen years' ex¬ 
perience and, I would say, even then, useless literature, unless 
showing some proofs that it arose from a proper foundation. 
That a few of the symptoms of grass-staggers and lead¬ 
poisoning are nearly alike I readily admit, but a part is not 
sufficient when a whole is wanting. The symptoms of grass- 
staggers I gave as well as I could (under the disadvantage of not 
having fourteen years’ experience) in a former number, and I 
shall now endeavour to state some of the best-marked symp¬ 
toms of lead-poisoning, which, if I mistake not, did not occur in 
the symptoms I detailed, nor in those I find among the symp¬ 
toms generally described as those of lead-poisoning. We 
always have colic, abdominal pains, accompanied with a quick, 
throbbing pulse; in fact, all the symptoms of abdominal 
irritation; the gums are of a blue or black colour, which 
appears to be always best developed after death; and fits 
along with partial paralysis exist. True fits are present in 
grass-staggers, but they are fits of grinding the teeth, which 
has not been universally noticed in lead-poisoning. But let 
us also consider the post-mortem appearances of lead-poison¬ 
ing, and see how they correspond with those I detail. 
Lead, in all its soluble compounds, is an irritant poison, and 
we may expect to find in animals dying from its effects the 
whole of the intestinal canal, especially the large intestines, 
more or less inflamed, and in some instances almost in a state 
of gangrene; the lungs and trachea inflamed, and the former 
gorged with black blood; none of which appearances did I 
detail in the cases I described. I certainly mentioned that 
the jejunum presented a slight blush of inflammation on about 
two inches of its surface, but it was so slight that it might 
have been caused by some of the indigested food passing into 
the intestines and there acting as a source of irritation. 
Apologising for having drawn so largely on your valuable 
time and space, allow me, in conclusion, to refer Mr. Storrer 
to a communication by Mr. Strangways, in the Veterinarian 
for April last, and request him to consider carefully the 
symptoms recorded there, and see whether they correspond 
with those of lead-poisoning, or those I described in the 
Veterinarian for August. As for the reference to “vade 
mecums, treatises, and veterinary reviews,” I will leave the 
reply to those for whom the remarks were intended, at the 
same time expressing my hope that they will not pass un¬ 
observed. 
Yours &c. 
To the Editors of the ‘ Veterinarian.' 
