PARALYSIS 419 



repeatedly moved and sometimes strike the ground, or they are shaken 

 as if to detach something objectionable adhering to them. Sensibility 

 becomes diminished, and a rolling movement behind is observed when 

 the animal attempts to walk. Muscular paralysis of the parts behind the 

 seat of disease soon follows, and the patient falls to the ground unable 

 to rise. The bladder now may fail to empty itself and become distended 

 with urine. The faeces escape involuntarily in consequence of paralysis 

 of the muscle (sphincter ani) which closes the anus. The bowels are con- 

 stipated, but there is little, if any, rise of the bodily temperature. The 

 farther forward the disease exists in the cord the more extensive will be 

 the paralysis. When in the region of the neck the fore-limbs as well as 

 the hind will become disabled, and the muscles of respiration will at the 

 same time be involved, and occasion great difficulty of breathing and more 

 or less disturbance in the action of the heart. 



These affections of the spinal cord and its membranes usually become 

 complicated with some rapidly destructive lung disease, or with inflamma- 

 tion of the bladder or kidney disease, to which the victim sooner or later 

 succumbs. Should he escape these immediately fatal affections he remains 

 paralysed and useless. Little, therefore, is to be expected from treatment 

 of an animal so affected, and both humanity and economy will be best 

 served by his immediate destruction. 



PARALYSIS 



By paralysis is understood a loss of power in the muscles to contract, 

 and consequently greater or less impairment of voluntary motion. There 

 is also a second form of paralysis, by which a part may be deprived of the 

 sense of feeling. The former constitutes paralysis of motion, the latter 

 paralysis of sensation. 



They frequently occur together, but when this is so the loss of power 

 usually exceeds that of sensation. Each may exist alone. The more 

 common of the two as separate ailments is paralysis of motion. 



Paralysis is not a disease, but a symptom of some disorder going on 

 either in the brain or spinal cord, or the nerves connecting them with the 

 paralysed part. If for any reason the brain fails to develop and to give 

 out voluntary impulses, the influence of the will ceases to act upon those 

 parts over which it ordinarily exercises control. 



The nerves, although healthy in themselves, receiving no nervous force 

 from the affected centre, become incapable of exciting muscles to contract. 



On the other hand, the brain or nerve centre may be perfectly free from 

 disease, but owing to some pressure or disease in the course of the nerves 



