IMMOBILITE, ETC. 249 



years old, that have been subjected to no hardship, arising 

 spontaneously, and increasing by slow degrees. I have one 

 instance on record where four young horses, the progeny of a 

 dam that was affected in the back, died from spinal paralysis 

 before they had attained the age of three years. A fifth is now 

 living, and shows signs of aggravated nervo-muscular disease. 



MYOSITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF MUSCULAR STRUCTURE. 



The muscles may be inflamed, either from external or internal 

 causes, those of the lumbar and gluteal regions being most 

 generally so affected. The intrinsic cause of myositis is the 

 presence of the rheumatic poison in the blood ; and the extrinsic 

 causes are sprains, the application of direct violence, or of 

 cold and moisture. It is expressed by pain, swelling, heat, and 

 loss of function. Inflammation of the muscles of the dorsal, 

 lumbar, and gluteal regions has often been confounded with 

 "laminitis;" but a careful practitioner need not make such a 

 mistake. 



In laminitis, as well as myositis, there is great stiffness. In 

 laminitis there is a tendency, more particularly in the hind feet, 

 to elevate the feet from the ground alternately. In myositis 

 there is no such tendency, the feet being firmly planted on the 

 ground, and there allowed to remain, if the animal be not forcibly 

 moved. In laminitis, when the animal is down, the symptoms 

 of fever and pain are considerably alleviated. In inflammation 

 of the muscles there is no tendency to lie down; and if the 

 animal were forcibly cast, as is sometimes done in laminitis, the 

 symptoms will become aggravated. A horse with fever in his 

 hind feet will generally, immediately on rising, begin to shift 

 them, become very uneasy, much distressed, and at last will lie 

 down with a sigh of relief ; the pulse falling, in the course of a 

 few minutes, perhaps thirty to forty beats per minute. 



In some cases of laminitis there is a disinclination to lie 

 down ; but when such are forcibly laid on a comfortable bed, 

 they generally feel inclined to remain recumbent, and, as a rule, 

 it is only necessary to lay them down once or twice before they 

 find out the benefit, and take advantage of it without assistance. 



When the muscles of the loins and quarter are inflamed the 

 symptoms will simulate those of stringhalt. 



