m that a few words may not be out of place. General,
irregular muscular contractions of various parts of the body, with
unconsciousness, characterize what we regard as convulsions, and like
ordinary spasms are dependent upon some disease or irritation of the
nervous structures, chiefly of the brain. No treatment is required; in
fact, a general convulsion must necessarily be self-limited in its
duration. Suspending, as it does, respiratory movements, checking the
oxygenation and decarbonization of the blood, the rapid accumulation of
carbonic-acid gas in the blood and the exclusion of oxygen quickly puts
the blood in a condition to produce the most reliable and speedy
sedative effect upon the nerve excitability that could be found, and
consequently furnishes its own remedy so far as the continuance of the
convulsive paroxysm is concerned. Whatever treatment is instituted must
be directed toward a removal of the cause of the convulsive paroxysm.

CHOREA, OR ST. VITUS'S DANCE.

Chorea is characterized by involuntary contractions of voluntary
muscles. This disease is an obscure disorder, which may be from pressure
upon a nerve, cerebral or spinal sclerosis, small aneurisms in the
brain, etc. Choreic symptoms have been produced by injecting granules of
starch into the arteries entering the brain. Epilepsy and other forms of
convulsions simulate chorea in appearance.

Stringhalt is by some termed "chorea." This is manifested by a sudden
jerking up of one or both hind legs when the animal is walking. This
symptom may be very slight in some horses, but has a tendency to
increase with age. In some the catching up of the affected leg is very
violent, and when it is lowered to the ground the motion is equally
sudden and forcible, striking the foot to the ground like a pile driver.
Very rarely chorea may be found to affect one of the fore legs, or the
muscles of one side of the neck or the upper part of the neck.
Involuntary jerking of the muscles of the hip or thigh is seen
occasionally, and is termed "shivering" by horsemen.

Chorea is often associated with a nervous disposition, and is not so
frequent in animals with a sluggish temperament. The involuntary
muscular contractions cause no pain, and do not appear to produce much
exhaustion of the affected muscles, although the jerking may be regular
and persistent whenever the animal is in motion.

_Treatment._--In a few cases, early in the appearance of this affection,
gene