66 SPINAL ANAESTHESIA. 



of 2 per cent, solution of cocaine. Three minutes later the animal 

 flexed her hind-limbs ; after five minutes she showed weakness, and 

 for a short time literally sat down ; then she lay down on her side. 

 Pricked deeply in different parts of the hind-limb, she did not move. 

 When the prickings were done in the fore-quarters as far as the line 

 of cartilages of the asternal ribs, she showed pain. An hour later 

 the animal got up voluntarily. The spinal cord, spinal meninges, 

 and cauda equina were perfectly normal. 



Dog. The best point for the operation is again in the lumbo- 

 sacral region, taking the same landmarks as before. A hollow needle 

 of a Pravaz syringe, 2\ inches long and z } fi inch in diameter, is the 

 most suitable. 



Ninth experiment. A male mastiff of average size received 30 

 minims of the cocaine solution. The animal stood up, the head being 

 kept firmly in position by an assistant, and did not resist the operation. 

 Several minutes later he fell upon his hind quarters with the limbs 

 extended, and progressed by means of the fore-limbs as an animal 

 attacked with complete paraplegia. Sensibility was tested by the aid 

 of the zoocautery, and was found to be non-existent behind the hypo- 

 chondriac regions, but preserved in front. Forty-five minutes later the 

 animal got up, and sensation only commenced to reappear at the end 

 of an hour. The dog then went to his kennel and ate his food with relish. 



Tenth experiment. Made upon the same animal the day following 

 the previous experiment. The animal did not appear to have suffered 

 from the experiment of the previous evening. He received 15 

 minims of the solution. Five minutes later the gait was somewhat 

 altered, but walking was still possible ; the analgesia extended over 

 the same area as on the previous day. An hour later, the condition 

 of the animal being apparently normal, 15 minims were injected in 

 the region of the bulb .in the occipito-atloid space without puncturing 

 the medulla. A few seconds later the animal became helpless ; he 

 could only advance by crouching on the ground with his paws in 

 front of him, moving upon his sternum. He vomited. The analgesia 

 involved the anterior part of the body, the head excepted. Two 

 hours later he progressed more easily, and went to his kennel, where 

 he ate his food. During the succeeding days and for a month after- 

 wards he showed nothing abnormal. Killed at the end of the month, 

 no trace whatever could be found of the injections. All his organs 

 were perfectly healthy. 



These and other experiments show in a convincing manner that 

 limited anaesthesia produced by cocaine injected into the neural 

 canal is applicable in veterinary surgery, and that, with proper 



