40 PARALYSIS — PALSY. 



horse evinces on a sudden extreme lameness in one hind leg, for 

 which no cause is apparent, and so great is the pain that he cannot, 

 two minutes together, keep the limb in the same position. Soon 

 after, the corresponding limb is attacked ; and now the suffering of 

 the animal reaches its highest pitch : he crouches behind, throws 

 his weight forwards, becomes more and more instable upon his legs, 

 until at length his hind quarters sink down, and he falls altogether. 

 When down, he ineffectually struggles to rise again with his fore 

 limbs, they only retaining much power of motion. M. Bouley con- 

 siders the case of spinal lesion or disease distinguishable from one 

 originating in reflected irritation, digestive or urinary, by the cir- 

 cumstance of the digestive organs being in proper order, and by 

 the animal, in spite of suffering, maintaining a good appetite, for 

 the first day or two at least. The pulse is variable in its character. 

 The respiration is disturbed in ratio to the pain existing. There is 

 neither constipation nor retention of urine, although both evacua- 

 tions are made with pain ; and the faeces are lymphy, and the urine 

 sedimentous. There are always partial or general sweats. The 

 sensorial functions remain perfect. The movements of the hind 

 limbs, diminished from the first, soon become powerless, if not lost. 

 Their sensibility in the beginning of the attack remains unaltered ; 

 it is only after the disorder has made progress that the diminution 

 and final destruction of it happens : though cases do occur in which 

 the sensibility continues undiminished, motion only being lost. 

 Taking all cases, however, these two faculties are simultaneously 

 destroyed. And the organic lesions discovered after death, in 

 general satisfactorily account for these varied morbid phenomena. ' 

 Unless promptly and energetically encountered by remedies, the 

 disorder makes rapid progress, putting the animal, in a few hours 

 even, in a hopeless condition : a termination but too frequent indeed 

 when the case is early and properly treated. Generally, the second 

 or third day is fatal ; though some horses sink earlier, others on the 

 sixth or eighth day : rarely later. The disorder may become chronic; 

 though of that little is knoAvn, the horse on account of expense and 

 hopelessness being destroyed. In the worst cases, after a time, 

 the palsy appears to spread forwards and affect the respiratory 

 muscles; at this period also the appetite fails, the suffering 



