66 DADD'S , LTERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



Causes. — These are very obscure, except in cases uf fracture of 

 the spine, or injury to the same, by falling. Then the disease ia 

 accounted for. It always ends in paraplegia — palsy of hind limbs. 



Symjjtoms. — The disease is usually sudden in its attack. A pro- 

 fuse perspiration ushers it iu ; next, the hind limbs fail to support 

 the body, and the animal makes desperate efforts to support him- 

 self, and gradually crouches and falls to the ground, unable, p*:r 

 haps, ever to get up again. 



It has been noticed that paraplegia may also be occcasicned by 

 effusion of serum within the coverings of the spinal cord; yet we 

 can not demonstrate the fact only by autopsy ; and if we could, I 

 fear that medicine would be of little value. However, if it is the 

 owner's wish that the case should be treated, then the same course 

 as recommended for cerebral apoplexy must be pursued. 



Epilepsy — Fits. 



Epilepsy consists of a temporary suspension of consciousness. 

 This disease, if properly managed, is not often fatal. It varies in 

 duration. Sometimes a horse will suddenly fall, lose all sensibility 

 and consciousness, exhibit spasmodic contraction of the voluntary 

 muscles, go into convulsions, recover, and get up again in the course 

 of ten minutes ; or he may lie on the ground and have a succession 

 of paroxysms, which may last for half an hour or more. If pro- 

 tracted beyond an hour or so, the patient is very apt to die. Ac- 

 cording to the best authority, "the functions that are affected in 

 this disease are functions of the brain. Sensation, thought, and mo- 

 tion, regulated by the will, are the natural functions of that organ. 

 The temporary abeyance of sensibility, thought, and volition,* and 

 violent and irregular action of the muscles, which are thus with- 

 drawn from the government of the will, constitute a paroxysm c t' 

 epilepsy." 



The fit is generally brought on by a derangement in the relation 

 between the arterial and venous circulation within the head aud a 

 temp'jrary pressure on the brain; in other words, a determination 



* Horses think and reason just as man does. Their manifestations of mind do 

 not differ from ours in kind, but only in degree. "The noble and daring war- 

 horse, when he sniffs the distant field of blood, neighing for joy, instils a desper- 

 ate courage into the veteran trooper's quailing heart, gives evi j°3ce of a soul, 

 the proper attribute of man." 



