DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CORD. 215 



Symptoms. — The syinptoms are largely dependent upon the seat 

 and extent of the hemorrhage, as they are principally due to the com- 

 pression of the cord. A large clot may produce sudden paraplegia, 

 accompanied by severe pain along the spine; usually, however, the 

 paralysis of both motion and sensation is not very marked at first; 

 on the second or third day fever is apt to appear, and increased or 

 diminished sensibility along the spine posterior to the seat of the clot. 

 When the bladder and rectum are involved in the symptoms it indi- 

 cates that the spinal cord is c(mi])ressed. 



Treatment. — In the occurrence of injuries to the back of a horse, 

 whenever there is any evidence of paralysis, it is always advisable to 

 apply bags of ice along the spine to check or prevent hemorrhage or 

 congestion, and 2 drams of the fluid extract of ergot and 20 drops of 

 tincture of digitalis may be given every hour until three doses have 

 been taken. Subsequently tincture of belladonna in half-ounce doses 

 may be given three times a day. If there is much pain, 5 grains of 

 sulphate of morphia, injected under the skin, will afford relief and 

 lessen the excitability of the animal. In all cases the animal should 

 be kept perfectly quiet. 



SPINAL CONCUSSION. 



This is rarely observed in the horse, and unless it is sufficiently 

 severe to produce well-marked symptoms it would not be suspected. 

 It may occur in saddle horses from jumping, or it may be produced 

 by falling over an embankment, or a violent fall upon the haunches 

 may produce it. Concussion may be follow^ed by partial paralysis or 

 spinal hemorrhage: generally, however, it is confined to a jarring and 

 some disturbance of the nerve elements of the cord, and the paralytic 

 effect which ensues soon passes off. Treatment consists in rest until 

 the animal has completely recovered from the shock. If secondary 

 effects follow from hemorrhage or compression, they have to be 

 treated as heretofore directed. 



SPINAL TUMORS. 



Within the substance of the cord glioma or the mixed gliosarco- 

 mata are found to be the most frequent, tumors may form from the 

 meninges and the vertebra^, being of a fil)rous or l)ony nature, .".nd 

 affect the spinal cord indirectly by compression. In tiie meninges we 

 may find glioma, cancers, and psammoma, fibromata; and aneurisms 

 of the spinal arteries have been discovered in the spinal canal. 



Symptoms. — Tumors of the spinal canal cause symptoms of spinal 

 irritation or compression of the cord. The gradual and slow develop- 

 ment of symptoms of paralysis of one or both hind limbs or certain 

 muscles may lead to a suspicion of spinal tumoi's. The jiaralysis 

 induced is progressive, but not usually nuirked with atrophy of the 



