CHAPTER XX 



THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SOME AFFECTIONS OF THE 



SAME 



The brain, spinal cord and nerves arising from their struc- 

 tures represent the fundamental portions of the central 

 nervous system. The brain and spinal cord are both well- 

 developed structures, consequently hable to be implicated 

 in various ways — sometimes functionally wrong — at others 

 the seat of organic changes. Unfortunately many of the 

 diseases affecting the nerves of the horse are of a very 

 obscure nature. It is quite useless in a small work of 

 this kind to enter into a consideration of these troubles 

 beyond saying that 



Stringhalt 



is a fairly common affection and one that is liable to affect 

 any class of horse, but perhaps vanners and cart horses 

 are the most affected. Stringhalt and shivering are closely 

 allied troubles, and they both, naturally, detract from the 

 value of the animal. Very often the last-named is difficult 

 to detect, and no doubt many shiverers are sold, both 

 privately and in open market, without even the seller 

 being aware of its existence, much less the purchaser. 



Stringhalt is less liable to be overlooked. It is denoted 

 by the spasmodic or involuntary jerking up of one of the 

 limbs, sometimes both hind, but commonly one hind 

 limb only, either in the stable or out of it. It is an affec- 

 tion which varies in its degree of severity. Sometimes 

 it is only observed whilst the horse is at work. It is 

 chronic and incurable in the author's experience. The 



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