380 AZOTURIA. 



I have repeatedly noticed where cerebral complications con- 

 tinue after restoration of healthy character to the urine, that 

 other nervous disturbance, probably related to the functions 

 of the cord, is also persistent — at least there is frequently, 

 accompanying the impaired cerebral functions, persistent and 

 severe muscular spasms or contractions. 



Diagnosis. — The only diseases in the horse with which this 

 affection may be confounded are anthrax and cerehro-spinal 

 fever. From the former of these it may be differentiated 

 — 1'. By the constancy of lameness or defect of motor-power 

 in the hind-limbs, which in anthrax is rarely or only occasion- 

 ally exhibited ; 2. The comparative frequency of this affection 

 and its special liability to follow rest and liberal dieting; 



3. The presence in anthrax of the specific organisms, the 

 bacillus anthracis, and the power of propagation by inoculation ; 



4. The rarity of recovery in anthrax as compared with 

 azoturia. From cerebro-spinal fever it is distinguished — 



1. By the physical and chemical characters of the urine ; 



2. By the non-coincidence of the appearance of cerebro-spinal 

 fever with conditions of rest and peculiarities of diet ; 3. By 

 the greater constancy in this disease of morbid lesions in con- 

 nection with the organs of assimilation as contrasted with those 

 observed in the great nerve-centres in the other. 



Treatment. — In those cases where the loss of muscular 

 power is so great and so suddenly developed that the animal 

 is unable either to move or maintain the standing position, 

 prognosis is unfavourable. So long as the animal is able 

 to stand, although unable to execute any movement, there 

 is always some prospect of recovery. When neither violence 

 nor excitation are features of the case, but there exists 

 simply muscular spasms and defective motor-power, together 

 with disturbed urinary secretion, it is better to place the 

 patient in a stall than in a box, taking precaution that every- 

 thing which is done to him be carried out without hurry 

 or excitement. In further assisting the case, the first and 

 probably chief point is that of favouring secretion, with the 

 view of eliminating from the system that which we believe to 

 have produced and to be maintaining the largely-distributed 

 functional disturbance. This is most readily done by operating 

 upon the alimentary canal, for, in addition to being easily 



