=Meningitis (Inflammation of the Membranes of the Brain)=: _Symptoms_: Occasionally occurs in young puppies, particularly when suffering from worms, but is more often the result of a protracted attack of distemper. In young puppies, the patient rolls its head from side to side, is constantly whining and crying, has convulsions, and the head is burning hot. When the result of distemper, convulsions are always present, the dog champs the jaws, emitting a quantity of frothy saliva. These are what are called distemper fits. The eyes are congested, and there are generally two, three, or more degrees of fever. The patient is frequently crying or whining, denoting evident signs of pain. As a rule, in these cases the patient becomes greatly emaciated and very weak—in fact, paralysed; and often, as the inflammation extends to the spinal cord, which it frequently does, chorea or St. Vitis’s dance sets in, which is practically incurable. _Treatment_: When occurring in young puppies, worm medicine should always be given; and to allay the pain and stop the convulsions, small doses of bromide of potassium be given—from two[1] to five grains in a little milk three or four times a day. Ice may also be applied to the head in a sheep’s bladder. When the convulsions have quite stopped, small doses of cod-liver oil do good. When meningitis follows distemper, if the attack is a bad one, there is little hope of recovery, and as a result the proper course to pursue is to have the dog mercifully put out of his misery. However, people seldom will agree to this without, as they say, giving the dog a chance, and when the case is not a bad one recovery is not impossible, though the chances are greatly against it, for usually it is a progressive disease. If the bowels are not operating (but there is generally diarrhœa) give a dose of castor oil, and commence a course of bromide of strontia at once. Give from two[1] to ten grains, or even fifteen grains, if the dog is a very big one, every three, four, or six hours, according to the severity of the case. Apply an ice-bag to the head for a quarter of an hour or longer at a time, and put a seton in the back of the neck, just behind the ears, which dress with turpentine ointment. Keep the dog absolutely quiet in a dark room, and feed entirely on a liquid diet—as milk, with white of egg; Benger’s food or toast; and some beef-tea. Brand’s essence or rabbit soup may be given occasionally, but those latter foods are more stimulating than nourishing. The milk foods mentioned are perfect food, and will support the dog an indefinite time. For the treatment of chorea and paralysis, see the articles on those subjects. The bromide must be continued for some time, even though the convulsions stop, but given in less quantities. =Milk=: