SPINAL MENINGITIS. 



Complex cases. Microbiaii invasion. Lowered vital tone. Traumas. 

 Poisons, parasites, tubercle, rheumatism, neoplasms, poisonous food. Symp- 

 toms : Stiffness, tonic contraction, spasms, hyperaesthesia with warmth, 

 enuresis, paralysis later. Treatment : parallel to myelitis ; cold, anodynes, 

 nerve sedatives, and anti-spasmodics, saline purgatives, diuretics. Iodine, 

 electricity, cauterization. 



It is often difficult to distinguish between spinal myelitis 

 and meningitis in the lower animals, and the danger of confttsion 

 is greater because the two affections are often conjoined. Attacks 

 appear to be often associated with microbian invasion of the 

 membranes, btit in its ttirn this is often favored bj' the lowered 

 tone of the membranes throtigh mechanical injury, circulatory 

 disorder, trophic changes, or the action of poisons in the blood. 

 Thus the condition may supervene on fractures, partial disloca- 

 tions or sprains of the neck, back or loins, abscesses pressing on 

 the spine, extension of septic inflammation from poll evil, fistu- 

 lous withers, or arthritis of the vertebrse, penetration of the mem- 

 branes by sharp pointed bodies (Reindl found a darning needle 

 in a cow's spinal canal), invasion by microbes in influenza, brust- 

 seuche, dourine, rabies, milk sickness, di.stemper, pyaemia, sep- 

 ticaemia, strangles, louping ill, or Texas fever. The toxins of 

 tetanus may start similar trouble. The larva of cysticercus 

 celltilosa may cause meningitis in dogs or pigs, the sclerostoma 

 in the soliped, the fllaria in dogs and strongle in a variety of 

 animals. Tubercle of the meninges is not unknown, and rheu- 

 matism is alleged as a cause. Neoplasms commencing in the cord 

 act in a similar way, and the poisons of rye grass, millet, loco, 

 lupins, tares and vetches may act on the membranes as well as 

 on the my el. 



Syviptoms. In the main these resemble those of myelitis and 

 are often present at the same time, and it is onh' neces.sary to 

 note those which are especially pathognomonic. The early rigors 

 are followed b}' stiffness of the back shown in rising or walking 

 and aggravated by motion. There may be tonic contraction of 

 the dorsal and lumbar mu.scles amounting at times to opostho- 

 tonos. The muscles of the limbs, chest or abdomen or some part 

 1 60 



