PARALYSIS OF RADIAL NERVE. 



777 



saw this lameness result from long exposure to rain during work, 

 Liibke also saw double-sided partial radial paralysis caused by chill ; 

 the disease was accompanied by fever, and proved fatal. 



In the year 1890 Moller saw a case of diplegia of the radial nerve 

 in the horse. The disease suddenly appeared in the left limb during a 

 journey, and, being painful, caused the animal to 

 lie a great deal, following which the radial nerve 

 of the right limb became affected. Friis describes 

 a case complicated with paralysis of the hind-leg of 

 the opposite side (hemiplegia cruciata). 



A series of interesting clinical records and a 

 full description of this disease will be found in 

 Cadiot and Dollar's " Clinical Veterinary Medicine 

 and Surgery." 



Willis, Rogers, Hunting and others have drawn 

 attention to the frequency with which pronounced 

 radial paralysis is associated with fracture of the 

 first rib. For a time, indeed, it was believed that 

 radial paralysis was always caused by fracture of the 

 first rib, but careful research has disposed of this 

 view. Rogers in 1894 described the following case 

 in an eight-year-old well-bred chestnut mare. The 

 animal had been worked for three hours in a victoria, 

 and returned home with great difficulty, exceedingly 

 lame in the off fore-leg. The near fore-heel showed 

 signs of a recent overreach. The animal was in 

 great pain, and supported the weight of the body 

 mainly on the hind-legs ; the off fore-leg was flexed, 

 the knee and fetlock bent, and the outside of the 

 toe just touched the ground. The elbow was lower 

 than normal, but was not excessively " dropped." 

 By forcing the knee backwards, and thus straighten- 

 ing the leg, the animal was enabled to take one 

 step with the sound limb ; but immediately the knee of the injured 

 limb became in the least degree bent the leg collapsed, and the 

 animal nearly fell. Progress was facilitated by pulling forward the 

 lame leg as far as possible, and then pressing on the knee until a step 

 had been taken with the sound leg. The most marked symptoms 

 were absolute inability to advance the leg, and great difficulty in 

 keeping it perpendicular. No fracture of any of the leg bones could 

 be distinguished. Crepitus was entirely absent. Fractured first rib 

 was diagnosed, and the animal was placed in slings. 



Fig. 460. 



