PALSY. 127 



was very slight enlargement of the teats, but intense inflammation of the 

 whole of the mammary substance. The omentum, and particularly the 

 portion opposite to the external disease, was also inflamed. Besides this 

 there was not a vestige of disease. 



This is an interesting case, and deserves record. I fear that justice 

 was not done to the animal at the commencement of the paralytic affection. 

 In nineteen cases out of twenty in the dog, the constant but mild stimulus 

 of a charge over the lumbar and sacral regions removes the deeper- 

 seated inflammation of the spinal cord or its membranes, when the palsy 

 is confined to the hind extremities, and has not been sufficiently long 

 established to produce serious change of structure. The charge should 

 have been applied at first. The almost total disappearance of the palsy 

 during the cutaneous disease, which was attended with more than usual 

 inflammation of the integument, is an instructive illustration of the power 

 of counter-irritation, and of what might possibly have been effected in the 

 first case ; for much time was lost before the application of the charge, and 

 when at length it was applied, it and the strychnia were powerless. 



I consider the following case as exceedingly valuable, at least with re- 

 ference to the power of strychnia in removing palsy : 



19th August, 1836. A fine Alpine dog was suddenly attacked with a 

 strange nervous affection. He was continually staggering about and 

 falling. His head was forcibly bent backward and a little on one side, 

 almost to his shoulder. A pound of blood was abstracted, a seton inserted 

 from ear to ear, and eight grains of calomel administered. 2\st. He has 

 perfectly lost the use of every limb. He has also amaurosis, perfect blind- 

 ness, which had not appeared the day before. He hears perfectly, and he 

 eats, and with appetite, when the food is put into his mouth. Gave him 

 two large spoonfuls of the castor-oil mixture daily ; this consists of three 

 parts of castor oil, two of syrup of buck-thorn, and one of syrup of white 

 poppies. 23rd. A little better ; can lift his head and throw it upon his 

 side, and will still eat when fed. Continue the mixture, and give half a 

 grain of strychnia daily. 24th. Little change. 27th. No change, except 

 that he is rapidly losing flesh. Continue the treatment. 3lst. The 

 strychnia increased to three-fourths of a grain morning and night. The 

 castor-oil mixture continued in its full quantity. He was fed well, but 

 there was a sunken, vacant expression of countenance. 



2nd September. He can move his head a little, and has some slight 

 motion in his limbs. 4th. He can almost get up. He recognises me for 

 the first time. His appetite, which was never much impaired, has returned : 

 this is to be attributed to strychnia, or the seton, or the daily aperient mix- 

 ture. They have all, perhaps, been serviceable, but I attribute most to the 

 strychnia ; for I have rarely, indeed, seen any dog recover from such an 

 attack. Continue the treatment. 6th. Fast recovering. Medicine as be- 

 fore. 14th. Improving, but not so fast as before. Still continue the 

 treatment. 28^7*. Going on slowly, but satisfactorily. Remove the seton, 

 but continue the other treatment. 



13th October. Quite well. 



