230 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



ditioned sores soon form on the hips and thighs from chafing and 

 bruising, w hich have a tendency quickly to weaken the animal and 

 necessitate his destruction. 



Locomotor ataxia, or incoordination of movement. — This is 

 characterized by an inability to control properly the movement of 

 the limbs. The animal appears usually perfectly healthy, but when 

 he is led out of his stall his legs have a wobbly movement and he 

 will stumble or stagger, especially in turning. AVhen this is con- 

 fined to the hind parts it may be termed a modified form of para- 

 plegia, but often it may be seen to affect nearly all the volimtary 

 muscles when they are called into play, and must be attributed to 

 some pressure exerted on the base of the brain. 



Local paralysis. — This is frequently met with in horses. It may 

 affect many parts of the body, even vital organs, and it is verv 

 frequently overlooked in diagnosis. 



Facial paralysis. — This is a frequent type of local paralysis, and 

 is due to impairment of function of the motor nerve of the facial 

 muscles, the portio dura. The cause may exist at the base of the 

 brain, compression along its course after it leaves the medulla oblon- 

 gata, or to a bruise after it spreads out on the great masseter muscle. 



SymptOTns. — A flaccid condition of the cheek muscles, pendulous 

 lips, inability to grasp the feed, often a slow and weak movement in 

 chewing, and difficulty and slowness in drinking. 



Laryngismus paralyticus, or roaring. — This condition is charac- 

 terized by roaring, and is usually caused by an inflamed or hypertro- 

 phied bronchial gland pressing against the left recurrent laryngeal 

 nerve, which interferes with its conducting power. A similar con- 

 dition is occasionally induced in acute pleurisy, when the recurrent 

 nerve becomes involved in the diseased process or compressed by 

 plastic exudation. 



Paralysis of the rectum and tail. — This is generally the result of 

 a blow or fall on the rump, which causes a fracture of the sacrum 

 bone and injury to the nerves supplying the tail and part of the 

 rectum and muscles belonging thereto. This fracture would not 

 be suspected were it not for the loss of motion of the tail. 



Intestinal paralysis. — Characterized by persistent constipation; 

 frequently the strongest purgatives have no effect whatever on the 

 movement of the bowels. In the absence of symptoms of indigestion, 

 or special diseases implicating the intestinal canal, torpor of the 

 bowels must be attributed to deficient innervation. This condition 

 may depend upon brain affections or be due to reflex paralysis. Sud- 

 den checks of perspiration may induce excessive action of the bowels 

 or paralysis. 



Paralysis of the bladder. — This usually affects the neck of the 

 bladder, and is characterized by incontinence of urine; the urine 

 dribbles away as fast as it is secreted. The cause may be of reflex 



