MOTOR PARALYSIS. 337 



to the cord ; (6) lesions, or disease of the cord itself. 2. Func- 

 tional paraplegia, or paralysis proceeding from peripheral irrita- 

 tion, is represented probably by (a) loss of motor-power in 

 connection with altered conditions of the blood, either directly 

 poisoning it or rendering it of inferior nutritive quality ; 

 (6) reflected irritation, or propagated neuritis, from intestinal, 

 uterine or other disturbances. 



Symptoms. — In both forms of paraplegia the loss of control 

 over voluntary movement may as to its development be sudden, 

 ofradual, or slow. When of the orofanic form, its advent will 

 depend upon the rapidity with which the lesions interfere with 

 the integrity of the cord, while, when established, the loss of 

 motion is usually permanent. In functional paralysis the 

 suddenness of its appearance depends much on the virulence 

 of the disturbing agent entermg the blood, the contiguity of 

 the seat of peripheral irritation to the spinal centre, and the 

 previous health of the animal ; when developed, this form of 

 paraplegia may be subject to conditions of remission. 



Treatment. — In any attempts at treating paraplegia it is 

 chiefly the functional, or form connected with peripheral irrita- 

 tion, that is likely to make any improvement ; while the indica- 

 tions to be followed are — (a) Removal of all conditions likely 

 to induce local irritation of visceral or other organs, or blood- 

 contamination ; (6) the employment of such general remedies 

 as will establish constitutional vigour ; (c) local applications of 

 a stimulating nature to nerve- structure or muscles of the 

 limbs. 



4. Local Paralysis. — This variety is not much encountered in 

 the horse; and although it may, in some instances, owe its 

 origin to disease at the origin or connection of the nerve with 

 the central nervous matter, it is more usually a consequence of 

 direct injury from external violence, or from pressure exerted 

 on the nerve by some abnormal growth or badly fitting harness. 

 The most common manifestation of this form of paralysis which 

 concerns us is, impairment of function of one or more branches, 

 on one or both sides of the face, of the chief motor nerve of the 

 facial muscles, the portio dura. 



Symptoms. — The indications of the existence of this condi- 

 tion are a lax and pendulous state of the mouth and lips on 

 one or both sides, inability to seize food from want of prehen- 



22 



