144 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



and the more force that is brought to bear to cause the 

 animal to back, the more aggravated the symptoms become, 

 and many a poor horse has been cruelly whipped for not 

 backing, when it was utterly impossible for him to back. 



Treatment, as a rule, is useless. Nerve tonics, sedatives, 

 stimulants, etc., may be tried. 



Immobilite. — This is also a form of chorea, and is probably 

 due to some irritation in connection with the spinal cord. 



Symjytoms. — The symptoms are very plain. So long as 

 the animal is not excited he may walk and trot about, and 

 give no sign whatever, and he may be in pretty good flesh. 

 However, crack a whip near him, or excite him otherwise, 

 and immediately trot him cut, when he will soon stop, 

 begin to quiver, and his excitement becomes much 

 increased. The quivering will begin in one leg, then 

 extend to the other, and he will finally sit down upon his 

 haunches,, and so long as the excitement is kept up he 

 cannot rise. The same results may be attained in the 

 stable by exciting the animal. The practitioner should be 

 careful in examining for this condition, as such animals 

 make a large circle of acquaintances in the localities they 

 live in. Nothing much can be done in the way of treats 

 ment. Another symptom is knuckling of fetlocks. 



Chorea in the dog usually occurs as a result of distemper, 

 and is general. Is treated by purgatives, laxative food, 

 nux vomica or strychnia, arsenic, etc. The benefit claimed 

 to result from the employment of setons, is not sufficiently 

 apparent for their use to be warranted in chorea. 



SPINITIS. 



JJeJinition. — Inflammation of the substance of the 

 spinal cord, and if the coverings of the cord are also in- 

 flamed, it is known as spinal meningitis. It occurs both in 

 the acute and sub-acute forms, and there may either be 



