108 STRINGHALT. 



the pole-axe of tlie knacker. The horse was bought for this purpose, another and 

 laudable motive influencing the purchase, — the wish to ascertain what light the dis- 

 section of an animal that had had stringhalt to such an aggravated extent, and for so 

 long a period, would cast on the nature of this disease. 



The author of this work saw hi;n a little while before he was slaughtered. He 

 was still a noble-looking animal, and seemed to possess all his former strength and 

 spirit unimpaired ; hut he was sadly scaiTed all over, in consequence of his being put 

 to a kind of work for which his spasmodic complaint so entirely incapacitated him. 

 So aggravated a case of siringhall had rarely been seen. Both hind legs were afiected, 

 and both in an equal degree; and the belly was forcibly struck by the pastern joints 

 every time the hind feet were lifted. The belly and the pastern joint were both de- 

 nuded of hair, in consequence of this constant battering. 



He was destroyed by the injection of prussic acid into the jugular vein, and the 

 dissection of him was conducted by Professor Spooncr, of the IJoyal Veterinary Col- 

 lege. 



On taking off the skin, all the muscles presented their perfect healthy character. 

 There was not the slightest enlargenunt or discolouration of the fascia'. The mus- 

 cles of both extremities were dissected from their origins to their tendinous termina- 

 tions, and their fibrous structure carefully examined. They were all beautifully de- 

 veloped, presenting no inequality or irregularity of structure, nor aught that would 

 warrant the suspicion that any one of them possessed an undue power or influence 

 beyond the others. The only abnormal circumstance about them was that they were 

 of a rather darker yellow in colour than is usually found. This referred to them gen- 

 eralh', and not to any particular muscle or sets of muscles. 



The lumbar, crural, and sciatic nerves were examined from the spot at which they 

 emerge from the spinal cord to their ultimate distributions. The crural and lumbar 

 nerves were perfectl}^ healthy. The sciatic nerve, at the aperture through which it 

 escapes from the spine, was darker in colour than is usual, being of a yellowish- 

 brown hue. Its texture was softened, and its fibrillar somewhat loosely connected 

 together. The nerve was of its usual size; but on tracing it in its course through 

 the muscles of the haunch, several spots of ecchymosis presented themselves, and 

 were more particularly marked on that part of the nerve which is connected v\ ith the 

 sacro-sciatic ligament. x\s the nerve approached the hock, it assumed its natural 

 colour and tone ; and the fibres given off i'rom it to the muscles situated inferior to 

 the stifle-joint were of a perfectly healthy character. 



On dissecting out a portion of the nerve where it appeared to be in a diseased state, 

 it was found that this ecchymosis was confined to the membranous investiture of the 

 nerve, and that its substance, when pressed from its sheath, presented a perfectly 

 natural character. 



The cavity of the cranium, and the whole extent of the spinal canal, were next laid 

 open. The brain and the spinal marrow were deprived of their membranous cover- 

 ings, and both the theca; and their contents diligently examined. There was no lesion 

 in any part of them, not twen at the lumbar region. 



The articulations of every joint of the hind extremities, then underwent inspection, 

 and no disease could be detected in either of them. 



Professor Spooner was cf opinion that this peculiar affection was not referriblo to 

 any diseased state of the brain or spinal cord, nor to any local afti ction of the mus- 

 cles of the limbs, but simply to a morlud afiection of the sciatic nerve. He had not 

 dissected a single case of stringhalt in wliich he had not found disease of this nerve, 

 which mainly contributes to supply the hind extremities with sensation and the power 

 of voluntary motion. 



Now comes a very important question. What connexion is there between string- 

 halt and the supposed value or deterioration of the horse 1 Some experienced prac- 

 titioners have maintained that it is a pledge of more than usual niu?cular power. It 

 is a common saying that "there never was a horse with stringhalt that was incapa- 

 ble of doing the work required of liim." Most certainly we continually meet with 

 horses having strinsihalt that pleasantly discharge all ordinary, and even extraordi- 

 nary, service; and although stringhalt is excess or irregular distril iition of nervous 

 power, ii at least shows the existence of that power, and the capability in the inu»»' 



