892 Paralytic Hemoglobiuemia. 



the same changes as the muscles of the rump, but always in 

 a lesser degree, and probably as the result of a subsequent 

 septic infection. (Dexler found in the lateral and posterior 

 cornea of the lumbar, dorsal and sacral sections of the spinal 

 cord, joerinuclear chromatolysis of the motor, and in a lesser 

 degree also of the other nerve cells; by Marchi's method he also 

 demonstrated degeneration of certain nerve sheets of the lateral 

 and anterior columns.) The bone marrow, especially in the 

 femur and in the lumbar vertebrae is hyperemic, permeated by 

 small hemorrhages, sometimes showing a blackish-brown dis- 

 coloration. 



The blood shows no changes recognizable by the naked eye. 

 The bladder contains mostly reddish or brownish-red urine. 



Symptoms. The disease sets in without premonitory signs, 

 almost invariably with disturbances in locomotion of the hind 

 parts. After a certain time, sometimes as early as in 5 or 10 

 minutes, at other times only several hours after the animal 

 has been taken from the stable and used for work, a pronounced 

 stiffness is noted in the movement of the posterior extremities. 

 There is staggering of the hind parts, the feet are raised only 

 slightly from the ground, the horse knuckles at the pasterns, 

 perspires profusely, and attempts to go on in spite of it until 

 it finally is unable to stand up and collapses helplessly. The 

 disturbance occasionally progresses so rapidly that the animal 

 breaks down suddenly without the rider or driver even noticing 

 the stiffness of the gait. It is only rarely that the horse is able 

 to rise again to its feet, more often it is necessary to return 

 it to the stable on a wagon. In the rare cases in which the 

 disease develops in the stable, it is as a rule observed only when 

 the animal can no longer rise from the ground in spite of its 

 attempts. The collapsed horse then lies flat on one side, mostly 

 with the hind extremities stretched somewhat backwards, at 

 the same time it makes repeated attempts to rise; with the 

 head raised it succeeds in standing on its front legs, but soon 

 drops back again with painful groans. Sometimes it succeeds 

 in half-way rising even on the hind legs and dragging itself 

 for a short distance, but it soon falls exhausted and usually 

 with the hind parts first (Fig. 157). In its repeated attempts 

 to rise the horse strikes its head and feet against the ground 

 or against the wall, thereby causing injuries to these parts. The 

 numerous exertions, and the anxiety of the patient, which may 

 be seen in the expression of its face and eyes, result in a profuse 

 perspiration. 



Sometimes the disturbances remain confined to only one 

 of the hind extremities, affecting only the M. quadriceps fem. 

 or the abductors, at other times they appear in one or both 

 front extremities, especially in the triceps brachii. If the dis- 

 turbances are only one-sided and not very extensive, the horse 

 usually does not collapse, and remains perfectly quiet without 

 perspiring. 



