EPILEPSY.
The pig occasionally exhibits all the symptoms of epilepsy in their most frightful intensity, and whoever has carefully marked the habits of swine when not confined to the sty will easily be able to account for this; for, obtuse and stupid as it is the custom to denominate them, there is more excitability and nervousness in these animals than in many that have the credit of being more delicately organized. Note the manner in which they are affected by the approach of wind or storms how they run about in a state of highly nervous excitement with straw in their mouths; note the sympathy and terror a whole herd will exhibit while one of them is undergoing the operation of spaying or ringing, how they squeak in concert with his cries; see them at a fair under the irritation of strange scenes and noises, and we shall find sufficient indications of a susceptibility of impression to account for swine being peculiarly subject to epilepsy.
The prognostics are constant grunting, restlessness, acceleration of breathing, pallor of the skin, and a staggering gait. Then the animal suddenly falls as if struck by lightning, and for a few moments lies perfectly motionless; after which convulsions come on gradually, increasing in intensity until they are fearful to behold; the countenance is distorted, the neck curved in every direction, and the legs alternately drawn up to the body, and extended with momentarily increasing rapidity. The eyes protrude, the pupils are distended, and the balls roll about. The tongue is protruded and fixed between the clenched jaws; the teeth grind together, foam and saliva flow from the mouth. The pulse is wiry and small at first, then hard and bounding, and, as the intensity of the fit decreases, irregular and intermittent. Throughout the whole of the fit the animal remains perfectly unconscious, and as he recovers gets up, tries to hide himself in the litter or in a corner of the sty, and looks terrified and wild; then gradually the impression passes away, and he creeps out and begins to eat again. The seizure of one pig is often but a prelude to that of the greater number of those contained in the sty. The fits often succeed each other rapidly, two or three occurring in one day; and the cries uttered by the animals while in them are distressing in the extreme.
Medical treatment can only be resorted to in the intervals between the fits, and is seldom successful. It consists of cold affusions applied to the head, bleeding, and energetic purgatives, followed up by low diet, perfect quiet, and cooling medicines. The best way of keeping the head cool is to tie a piece of cloth about it, and then keep this constantly wet. A very efficient cold lotion for this purpose may be composed of a pint of vinegar to two quarts of water, and one ounce of sal ammoniac. Salts and calomel may be given as purgatives.
