i,AMi:Ni:ss: its causes and thkatmknt. 393 



'• lame in the loins," or '* spiaineil in the loins," or " weak in the 

 kidneys." This is a grave error, as in fact this simple and gentle 

 yielding to such u pressure is not a i)athologieal sign, hut is normal 

 anil significant of health. Yet tiiere are several conditions to which 

 the detinition of '"sprains of the loins" nmy apply which are not 

 stnctly normal. 



Cause. — The muscles of the back anil ihrse of the loins }noper, as 

 the psoas, may have been injured, or again there nray be trouble of a 

 rheumatic nature, perhaps suggestive of linnbago. Diseases of the 

 bones <;f the vertebral column, or even those of the organs of circula- 

 tion, may give rise to an exhibition of simihir symptoms. 



i:>ymptom8. — The symptoms are characteristic of a loss of rigidity 

 or firmness of tlie vertebral colunm, both >vhen the animal is at rest 

 and in action. In the former condition, < r when at rest, there is an 

 arched condition of the back anil a constrained posture in standing, 

 with the hind legs sejjaratcd. In the latter there is a lateral, balan- 

 i-ing mo\ emint at the loins, principally noticeable while the animal is 

 in the act of trotting — a peculiar motion, sometimes referred to as a 

 "crick in the back." or what the French call a "t< ur de bateau." If, 

 while in action, the animal is suddenly maile to halt, liie act is accom- 

 panied with much pain, the back suddenly arching or bending later- 

 ally, and perhaps the hind legs tiirown uniU'r the body, as if unable 

 to perfiu'm their functions in stoj)ping, and sometimes it is only 

 accomplished at the cost of a sudden and seveie fall. This manifes- 

 tation is also exhibited when the animal is called upon to back, when 

 a repetition of the same symptoms will also occur. 



If a slight pressure on the back or the loins is followed by a 

 mmlerato yiehling of the animal, it is. as before remarked, a good 

 sign of health. With a sprain of the loins pressure of any kind 

 is painful, and will cause the aninml to bend or to crouch under it 

 more or less, according to the weight of the pressure. Heavy loads, 

 and even heavy harnessing, will develop this tendernes.s. In lying 

 down he seems to suffer much discomfort, and often accompanies the 

 act with groaning, and when compelled to rise does so only with 

 great diliiculty and si'ldom .succx'eds without rejjcated efforts. 



Sprains of nuiscles proper, when recent, will always l3e accora- 

 panieil with this seiies of symi)toms. and the fact of their exhibition, 

 with an excessive sensiliility of the parts, and possiblv with a degree 

 of swelling, will always justify a diagnosis of acute muscular lesion, 

 and especially .so if accompanied with a history of violent effitrts, 

 jmwerful muscular strains, falls, heavy loading, etc., connected with 

 the case. If the symptoms have been of slow development and 

 gradual increase, it Incomes a more diflicult task to determine whether 

 the diagnosis points t^) pathological changes in the structure of the 

 muscles or of the bones, the nervous centers, or the blood vessels of 



