STRINGHALT. 1S.5 



the fascia?. The muscles of both extremities were dissected from their 

 origins to their tendinous terminations, and their fibrous structure care- 

 fully examined. They were all beautifully developed, presenting no 

 inequality or irregularity of structure, nor aught that would warrant the 

 su.spicion 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 generally, and not to any particular muscle or sets 

 of muscles. 



The lumbar, crui^al, 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 perfectly healthy. The sciatic nerve, 

 at the aperture through which it escapes from the spiiie, was darker in 

 colour than is usual, being of a yellowish-bro^wn 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 

 with the sacrosciatic ligament. As the nerve approached the hock, it 

 assumed its natural colour and tone ; and the fibres given off from 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 mem- 

 branous 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 spinal marrow were deprived of their 

 membranous coverings, and both the thecse and their contents diligently 

 examined. There was no lesion in any part of them, not even 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 of opinion that this peculiar afiection was not 

 referable to any diseased state of the brain or spinal cord, nor to any local 

 aS'ection of the muscles of the limbs, but simply to a morbid affectiou 

 of the sciatic nerve. He had not dissected a single case of stringhalt in 

 which he had not found disease of this nerve, which mainly contributes 

 to supply the hind extremities with sensation and the power of voluntary 

 motion. 



As a proof that stringhalt may come on suddenly the folio* Ing is a case 

 in point. A race-horse called ' Warwick' fell out of a horse-box, when 

 travelling at the rate of twenty miles per hour by rail between Holywell 

 and Flint, and when he got up he was afiected -with stringhalt ; he won 

 many races afterwards. The cause of the accident was this : the horse- 

 box was standing against a wall, and, while loading, the porters forgot to 

 fasten the door next the wall. Shortly after the train was in motion, the 

 flap or door of the box fell down, letting the hoi'se's hind parts out ; being 

 tied up with a small race-horse head-collar, fortunately it broke, and the 

 animal fell out on the rails. Being a cold morning he was wi-apt up in 

 extra rugs, which so enveloped him as to prevent the rails cutting him. 

 The train was stopped, and the horse was fou^nd l}'ing quite unnerved : 

 the instant he was spoken to he got up, and the stable-boy led liim away 

 home. The only injury he received was stringhalt in both legs, and he 

 had never showm the least symptoms of it before : he was five years old 

 at the time of the accident. 



