PARALYSIS OF THE RECTUM. 609 



colic ; it was washed out with solutions of boric acid and permanganate 

 of potash, and later of carbolic acid. Cicatrisation occurred, but a diver- 

 ticulum as large as a man's fist formed, from which the dung had to be 

 daily removed. Stockfleth described in a horse a diverticulum which lay 

 on the upper wall of the rectum about 5^ inches from the anus, and opened 

 into the lumen of the bowel by means of a narrow slit. Moller found one 

 about the size of a hen's egg in a Dalmatian dog on the left wall of the 

 rectum, close in front of. the anus, which was thrust forward during defaeca- 

 tion, and was filled with soft faeces. This was possibly an enlarged anal 

 pouch ; but as the dog was only seen during life, the point could not 

 definitely be decided. 



Paralysis of the rectum is generally associated with paralysis 

 of the tail, or of the bladder and hind legs, and apart from the general 

 paralysis caused by fractures of the vertebrae, &c, occurs most fre- 

 quently in the horse. It is particularly frequent in mares. Harms 

 found rectal paralysis in a cow to be due to fracture between the 

 sacrum and first vertebra of the tail. Though this paralysis is usually 

 spontaneous, the immediate cause can often be traced to severe 

 bruising or injury in the lumbar region. In the army reports, the 

 following case occurring in a seventeen-year-old mare is given :— 

 The animal showed paralysis of the rectum and bladder, with atrophy 

 of the muscles of the quarter and thigh, and was found, on post- 

 mortem examination, to have thickening of the spinal dura mater 

 from the 3rd lumbar vertebra backwards. The grey substance of 

 the spinal cord appeared lighter in colour, and softer than usual. 

 A considerable quantity of red fluid was found between the meninges 

 of the spinal cord. 



Friedberger saw the condition during the course of contagious 

 pleuro-pneumonia in the horse. We have repeatedly seen paralysis 

 of the rectum develop spontaneously and quite gradually, and affect 

 the rectum, tail, bladder, and, later, the hind-quarters, but only in 

 non-pregnant mares ; generally in well-bred animals. The first change 

 appears to be paralysis of the lumbar nerves, followed by accumulation 

 of faeces in the rectum and gradual dilatation of that bowel. 



The rectum receives its nerves from two points : the n. haemorrhoidalis 

 medius, a branch of the pubic nerve, gives twigs to the curvator coccygis 

 and retractor ani ; the n. haemorr. posterior arises from the 4th and 5th 

 lumbar nerves, and supplies the terminal portion of the rectum and the 

 retractor penis muscle. The depressor coccygis derives its motor twigs 

 from the 5th lumbar nerve, while the levator coccygis is supplied from 

 the last twigs of the spinal nerves, the so-called cauda equina. In the 

 cases noted the disease began with paralysis of the levator coccygis, but 

 the rectum and bladder were only affected after several months. Finally, 

 the general paraplegia necessitated slaughter or total withdrawal of the 

 animal from work. Unfortunately, post-mortem examinations were not 

 made, but the course of the disease points to progressive degeneration of 

 R.s. R R 



