680 Ossifying' Inflaniniatiou of the Dura Mater of the Spinal Cord. 



bottles of siiita])le shape, wliicli should be filled with ice or with 

 cold water which is chanoed at frequent intervals during the 

 day, may be laid along the course of the vertebral column. 

 Thick layers of tow may be used, ice water being used to sat- 

 urate them at short intervals. After the disappearance of the 

 symptoms of excitement, Priessnitz poultices may be applied. 

 Internally sodium salicylate (15 to 20 gm. for large animals, 

 and 1 to 2 gm. for small), or calomel (2 to 4 gm. or 0.05 to 0.4 

 gm. per diem except to ruminants) may be given. 



If there are painful or tetanic contractions of the muscles, 

 alleviation may be obtained by the administration of narcotics 

 (chloral hydrate, potassium bromide, morphine). 



Tn ilofis hiinbar puncture as described by Sabrazes and Muratet may be re- 

 sorted to with the object of removing a portion of the cerebrospinal tiuid. 



Literature. Frohner, Monh., 1907, XVllI, 142.— Johne, S. B., 1896, 66.— 

 Le Maitre, Rec, 1900, 529.— Marchand, Petit & Coquot, ibid., 1906, 5.— Sabrazes 

 & Muratet, Eev. Gen., 1906, VIII, 633. 



2. Ossifying Inflammation of the Dura Mater of the Spinal 

 Cord. Pachymeningitis spinalis ossificans. 



There not rarely occurs in the dura mater of the spinal 

 cord of dogs a peculiar inflammatory process resulting in the 

 formation of plates of bone of various sizes which cause tear- 

 ing and crushing of the roots of the spinal nerves, and even of 

 the cord itself, and in addition may compress the cord. 



Historical. Primary ossifying inflammation of the dura of the 

 cord was observed by Mauri in 1878, Bonnet in 1881, Kitt and Stoss 

 in 1883, and Frohner in ]893. The specific nature of the disease was 

 established by Dexler in 1893 and 1896 as a result of extensive clinical 

 and microscopical examinations. 



Occurrence. The disease is of comparatively frequent oc- 

 currence in dogs, but more rare than degeneration of the inter- 

 vertebral discs. In three years, Dexler saw nine cases of this 

 disease, and eleven cases of intervertebral enchondrosis. Sin- 

 gle plates of bone, which caused no functional disturbance were 

 found ])y Dexler in about ten per cent of adult dogs upon which 

 postmortem examinations were made. 



Siedamgrotzky found hard nodular elevations of a yellow color in the inner 

 surface of the spinal dura mater of a tiger that was affected with paraplegia. 



Etiology. No definite information can be given regarding 

 the causes of the disease. Experience indicates that sex, age 

 and breed have no influence on the occurrence of the disease, 

 and at the most it appears to be more common in the larger 

 breeds of dogs. As already indicated by Dexler, the actual 

 cause should be found in the pronounced curvatures of the spine 



