424 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



On the first appearance of the affection it was looked upon as a totally 

 new malady which had probably been introduced from America. 



Percival in his Hijjpo Pathology refers to a form of epizootic paralysis 

 occurring on cold wet pastures in spring and autumn. Professor Axe 

 mentions an article by Mr. Small in the Veterinarian for 1857 describing 

 outbreaks of paralysis occurring in his district in that year. Other writers 

 have also mentioned cases of the periodical occurrence of a form of paralysis 

 in different parts of the country, and there is very little doubt that these 

 cases were of the same character as those which have been recently 

 designated cerebro-spinal meningitis. 



With regard to the propagation of the disorder Professor Axe notices 

 the communication of the disease to other animals than the horse. On 

 this part of the subject he says: — " At the time when the disorder prevailed 

 in the county of Essex, Mr. Ellis, veterinary surgeon of Maldon, resolved 

 upon trying the efficacy of venesection. Several horses were consequently 

 bled, and the blood removed from them was, contrary to instructions, 

 thrown down in a yard adjoining the stables. During the day large 

 numbers of sparrows were observed to partake freely of the clot, and after 

 a short period to become paralysed in their wings, and unable to rise 

 from the ground. On the following day a sow and a dog, which had also 

 consumed some of the blood, were similarly affected, the latter so much 

 so as to lead to his destruction. Several young pigs, offspring of the sow 

 referred to, were at the same time seized with convulsive twitchings of the 

 voluntary muscles, accompanied by a greater or less degree of paralysis. 

 These latter animals, it should be mentioned, had not partaken of the 

 blood of the horse, but were at that time subsisting exclusively on the 

 milk of the dam." 



Symptoms. — Indications of the disease in the majority of instances 

 appear suddenly, but in other cases before there is any appearance of 

 paralysis the animals show some premonitory signs of drowsiness, unsteadi- 

 ness in their movements, catching the toe in the ground in walking. More 

 commonly, however, without any warning the affected horse is found 

 down and almost incapable of moving. In many cases the loss of power 

 is apparent in the posterior half of the body, and during the progress of 

 the affection nearly all the muscles of motion are involved. Sometimes the 

 loss of power is particularly marked in muscles connected with swallowing, 

 so that the animals cannot take fluid or solid; in other instances the power 

 to eat and drink remains, while paralysis gradually extends over the body. 

 In the advanced stages of the disease excitement is frequently present, 

 alternating with spasmodic contraction of some of the muscles. The 

 excitement may be followed by total loss of consciousness, or it may be 



