44 PAHALYSIS — PALSY. 



V.S., Rugby, in a case of a yearling filly, who, by slight immo- 

 bility and unsteadiness in walking in the hind quarters, Avith the 

 peculiar dragging movements in both hind and fore legs, by the 

 comatose state into which she sank after exertion, and the un- 

 natural position in which she would often stand, and by unusual 

 dilatation of the pupils and a shining glassy appearance of the 

 eyes, and evident partial blindness, evinced some paralytic affec- 

 tion, appeared to confer much benefit, after bleeding and purging, 

 by administering daily a drachm of the powdered nux vomica, in 

 combination with small quantities of iodide of potash and calomel. 

 Coulbaux, in addition to bleeding from the jugular, amputated the 

 tail, with a view of drawing blood topically as well as generally ; 

 and the expedient is by no means unworthy of our notice, although 

 his case proved an unsuccessful one. Bouley, with the same 

 object, in one instance opened the saphena veins. Preau, in a 

 mare seized with paraplegia, after applying the moxa and budding- 

 iron to the loins, made several experiments of the powers of galvan- 

 ism, and by its application enabled the animal, after a short time, 

 to rise and stand upon her legs, and, indeed, appeared to have con- 

 ferred so much benefit by it, that she, being rendered able to go 

 about, was turned out, convalescent : at pasture, however, she be- 

 came emaciated, and died. Acupuncturation has been practised by 

 some continental veterinarians, but with no great deal of success ; 

 still, there are cases in which it may be worth a trial. M. Clichy, 

 in one instance, found the skin of the quarters and thighs so hard 

 and unyielding, that the needle could not be introduced. D' Arboval 

 informs us, that the treatment employed in the epidemic paralysis 

 which prevails on the borders of the Seine, near Mantes, consists 

 in plentiful blood-lettings, cold bathings, &c. ; and that the benefit 

 of this treatment manifests itself on the second or third day. From 

 the same authority we learn that nux vomica is not suited to an 

 acute or recent case of paralysis ; and that it is wrong to recur, to 

 its use in any instance after it has once failed. 



A PROPER Precaution, in most cases, is a manual examina- 

 tion per rectum: by this, the practitioner not only becomes in- 

 formed of the condition of the posterior bowels and bladder, but 

 has, on occasions, unriddled the nature of a malady, which, but for 



