DISEASES OF THE BRAIN AND HEART. 
147 
Megrims in the category), the first symptom that calls for 
our assistance is, that the animal, on being put to work, is 
observed to answer to the bit less cheerfully than usual; goes 
sluggishly in his work, and otherwise appears stupid. This 
state of things is followed by violence, if the horse is thwarted 
or put under restraint. The propensity, which is often seen, 
of turning to one side only, is a very curious and a marked 
symptom. In a case which came under my notice last autumn, 
the animal, except when feeding, constantly walked around 
and around his box in the same direction for some weeks, 
until he had formed quite a track, like that of a mill-horse. 
A few days before he was destroyed he unaccountably con¬ 
tinued his peregrinations in the reverse direction. 
This horse was ordered to be destroyed with chloroform, 
but as he took a very large quantity without the usual effect, 
his death was accelerated by opening the carotid artery. 
post-mortem examination presented extensive absorp¬ 
tion of the substance of the brain, its cavities contained a 
large quantity of fluid, and the whole course of the spinal 
cord was also implicated, as shown by distension with fluid 
of the theca, and softening of the medulla. Yet there was 
no symptom of paralysis, which to me appears very singular. 
Acase of heart disease, which I had an opportunity of watch¬ 
ing, also presented itself a few days since. The subject of it 
was a chestnut mare, in good condition, purchased in Ireland 
as a hunter. Soon after she had changed hands she was 
found to be lame, and was put under treatment. The mare 
got better, but the owner being undecided as to whether or 
no he should keep her, she was not put to work. I should 
state, that from the first the animal had a cough, which, 
however, appeared to yield to the measures adopted for its 
removal, and she was exercised in the usual way, for about 
an hour daily, until one morning she was reported to be off 
her feed, and she was treated for an attack of bronchitis with 
fever. The case from the first did not progress satisfactorily. 
The appetite was very capricious; at times the animal would 
feed tolerably well, at others not at all. The course of the 
spine was now observed to be intensely hot, and the animal 
apparently suffering from great prostration of strength, con¬ 
stantly getting up and down, and, in fact, showing every 
symptom of acute rheumatism. The cough was very pe¬ 
culiar, at times amounting almost to a shriek. Then it was 
that disease of the heart was suspected. The pulse became 
very low and indistinct; the lungs were congested, but there 
was no injection of the conjunctival membrane, nor any signs 
of hydrothorax. She drank large quantities of arrowroot gruel 
