566 
W. L. WILLIAMS. 
We have here a series of cases presenting varied symp¬ 
toms, as we would expect to find in different animals, at dif¬ 
ferent stages of development of the disease, yet passing from 
one into the other by an imperceptible scale, all evidently due 
to the same cause. 
In the earlier stages and in the very mild cases through¬ 
out, all showed the restlessness, the staring, pouiretting eyes, 
the muscular twitchings, the clonic spasms, especially marked 
in the diaphragm. In proportion to the nervousness, the 
pulse and temperature suffered little. If unchecked, the 
clonic spasms were largely succeeded by those of a more 
tonic nature, trismus became a marked symptom, the restless¬ 
ness and convulsions increased in intensity, the respiration 
became more labored, the mucous membranes livid from par¬ 
tial asphyxia, the whole muscular system becomes tetanized 
to its fullest extent, the animal is no longer able to stand nor 
to find relief in lying on the sternum, but lies prostrate on the 
side in constant convulsions until it succumbs, probably from 
Asphyxia. 
Their histories, too, are quite uniform. All were robust, 
vigorous mares, in high condition, of mature age, but not old ; 
all had recently foaled naturally and easily, and had healthy, 
well nourished foals at their sides, showing that the mammary 
glands were well developed and active in all cases. 
In nearly if not all the cases I have related, the mares had 
been enjoying unrestricted freedom at pasture constantly 
since foaling, and then taken up a few hours prior to the at¬ 
tack, which was suddenly ushered in without warning. 
Professor Williams (Prin. and Prac. Vet. Med., p. 726), 
under the name of “ Hysteria,” describes what seems to have 
been the same affection, in the following words: “ Concur¬ 
rent with the period of oestrum in the female, the following 
symptoms, viz., clenching of the jaws, grinding the teeth, dif¬ 
ficulty of swallowing, some degree of trismus, squinting of 
the eyes, tonic spasms alternating with those of a clonic kind, 
continual kicking, in an irregular, uncontrolled manner, with 
one or both hind feet; stamping of the fore feet, and other 
nervous excitement, have been observed in the mare and 
female ass. 
