362 DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CORD AND ITS MEMBRANES. 



there is always expression of pain, haggard countenance, and 

 repeated tossings when in the recumbent position. 



This latter form of spinal inflammation, insidious in its 

 progress, or at least, although sudden enough in its demon- 

 stration, not ushered into existence, nor marked during its 

 continuance, by much exhibition of violence, evidence of pam, 

 or muscular contraction, tonic or clonic, is that development 

 Avhich is less likely in its special location to be associated with 

 the meninges proper than with the intimate texture of the cord 

 itsetf, being more truly myelitis than spinal meningitis. 



In addition to these forms of inflammation of the spinal 

 cord and its membranes, appearing suddenly and pursuing 

 their course rapidly until they reach a height previous to de- 

 cline — or what is more commonly the termination, until death 

 — we are aware that in the horse there are exhibitions of slow 

 or chronic forms of the same diseased action. 



Chronic inflammation of the meninges and substance of the 

 cord does not commonly terminate in death ; more frequently 

 the termination is that of impairment of function to such an 

 extent that it is more profltable as well as humane to destroy 

 the animal than persevere in treatment. One manifestation of 

 chronic spinal inflammation, in which most probably at flrst 

 the meninges are more largely involved than the intimate 

 cord-structure, has, as its most diagnostic feature, persistent 

 tonic and clonic contractions of certain muscles or groups 

 of muscles ; a condition often regarded as a form of 

 rheumatism or modified tetanic spasm, which, when aftecting 

 the muscles of the neck and anterior parts particularly, has 

 been spoken of as ' the cords.' Here the spasms are not 

 rapidly developed, nor are they of great intensity ; often in- 

 sidiously progressive, but rarely for a lengthened period sa 

 severe as largely to interfere Avith the working powers of the 

 animal. Should this state of disturbed muscular contractility 

 not quietly subside, either through judicious treatment or by 

 the natural failure of the morbid process, and through the 

 restoration of the inherent powers of the organism, a change 

 usually creeps over the manifestation of the phenomena. 



In place of hypera^sthosia and excess of muscular contrac- 

 tility, a certain amount of pain and difliculty in executing par- 

 ticular movements is exhibited, and with the great q-eneral 



