Symi^toms. Course. Diagnosis. 695 



flexion of all the joints under the body weight, the animal stumbled frequently 

 and staggered to such an extent that it was likely to fall at any moment. Blind- 

 folding the eyes exaggerated the motor disturbances to a marked extent, showing 

 that ataxia was also present. That the motor disturbances were not due exclu- 

 sively to ataxia was shown by the fact that there was also paresis, the horse 

 being unable to hold back a cart when going downhill. The muscles on the an- 

 terior surface of the upper arm and the superficial croup muscles were rigid, but the 

 extensors of the elbow and the posterior muscles of the croup were relaxed. After 

 having been under observation for nine months the animal was killed. In the 

 right half of the spinal cord, immediately in front of the seventh nerve there was 

 an inflamed area about 1^2 cm. in length involving the outer third of the posterior 

 column, the lateral column, and the greater part of the gray matter. In the left 

 half of the cord in the lumbar region there were three similar centers situated close 

 together and involving the greater part of the lateral column and the superior horn. 



In a case recorded by Dexler the disease commenced with paresis of the off 

 hind leg and of the corresponding fore leg, partial facial paralysis, and sharply 

 defined hyperidrosis of the same side. Two days later there was paresis of the 

 other legs. The muscles of the off fore leg were rigid and those of the hind re- 

 laxed. Numerous centers of inflammation were found scattered irregularly in 

 the white and gray matter in the cervical and dorsal portions of the cord. 



In a ease in a horse recorded by Hendricks and Lienaux there was stagger- 

 ing gait, jerky lifting of the foot as it was brought forwards, dragging of the 

 wall of the off fore foot along the ground, loss of sensation of certain parts of 

 the fore and hind legs. Blindfolding did not aggravate the disturbances. In the 

 cervical region, about opposite the seventh vertebra, there was a sclerotic area with 

 ascending degeneration of the posterior column. In the dorsal portion of the cord 

 about opposite the first vertebra some small irregular foci were also found. 



In a case of cervical poliomyelitis in a cock Marchand, Petit and Bredo ob- 

 served paresis and hyperesthesia of the wing, and lateral flexion of the neck during 

 repose so that the lieak was directed backwards. During feeding there was no ab- 

 normality of the position of the head. 



Course. The duration of the disease is influenced prin- 

 cipally by the seat of the inflammation and the rapidity with 

 which it spreads. Both transverse and diffuse myelitis run a 

 short course especially in the larger animals, death taking 

 place within a few days or in very rare cases a little longer. 

 In the case of disseminated myelitis on the other hand, if there 

 is no extensive paralysis the disease may last for a month and 

 even longer. In such cases the disturbances become more se- 

 vere slowly and spasmodically, and sometimes come to a halt, 

 a condition of chronic myelitis having* been produced in the 

 meantime. Provided no febrile complications occur, there is 

 no rise of temperature, even in the acute cases. Death is 

 caused directly by general sepsis, cystitis or enteritis, and in 

 many cases by cessation of respiration. 



Recovery in the clinical sense of the term is exceptional, 

 as for example in cases of distemper, in which the inflammation 

 is not very extensive. Not rarely some improvement is ob- 

 served, but generally a sudden exacerbation occurs after some 

 time. 



Diagnosis. A diagnosis may be based upon the presence 

 of the sjanptoms above described, which have no obvious cause 

 or no association with the diseases mentioned in the paragraph 

 relating to the etiology, upon the rapid progress of the condi- 

 tion, and the absence of objective symptoms of pain in the ver- 

 tebral column and the skin. — The differential diagnosis of acute 



