THEIR PATHOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT. 67 



when it occurs follows as a sequence to some violent disease, and is 

 incurable. Even partial paralysis i3 very doubtful of cure, but it may often 

 be alleviated, although the animal is never perfectly restored to his former 

 state, or made fit for his previous employment ; for it is generally the fast 

 and showy horse, and the overworked omnibus or post horse, that is the 

 victim of the disease. It is often produced by a fall under a heavy load, or 

 in leaping, &c, or by other direct injury to the spine, in the region of 

 the back or loins. Paralysis in the hind legs is shown by difficult action, 

 the movement in standing giving an appearance of weakness, the legs seem- 

 ing to drag and get in the way of each other. There is very little chance of 

 cure, and attempts at such results are better left to the duly qualified 

 veterinary surgeon ; but the following known treatment will alleviate, and 

 is at once the most merciful to the animal, and holds out the best hopes of 

 at least partial recovery : Keep in a loose box well littered, and let the 

 animal have perfect rest, regulate the bowels by soft food, roots and green- 

 meat, and give tonics. Mayhew recommends half a grain of strychnine 

 daily to be gradually increased to l§gr. in six weeks. The ball might be 

 made as follows : 



Ball for Paralysis.— Strychnine }gr., gentian powder ^oz., made into a 

 ball with treacle. 



Keep the horse warm, especially across the loins, and friction with a 

 rough brush or wisp may be useful if freely and frequently applied to the 

 hind quarters. 



Parrot mouth, is that malformation which in dogs is termed " over- 

 shot" and " pig-jawed"— the upper incisors meeting no resistance from 

 the under, grow long and overlap them, and this, as a matter of course, 

 renders it difficult for the horse to pick up his corn, and causes him to 

 waste a portion of it. There is no means of remedying the evil where it 

 exists, but it could easily be bred out by careful selection, just as in bull 

 terriers, where the first cross shows the protruding under jaw, the modern 

 specimen has by selection been bred with a perfectly level mouth. 



Pleurisy and Pneumonia, or Inflammation of the Lungs.— 

 Modern veterinarians recognise pleurisy and pneumonia as distinct diseases 

 — pleurisy being inflammation of the pleura or thin membrane which lines 

 the thorax and envelopes the lungs, pneumonia applying to inflammation of 

 the lungs ; but the distinction is too fine to be of any practical use to those 

 to whom these articles are addressed, as only the practised surgeon 

 would be able to detect the difference, and the general treatment is the 

 same. Inflammation of the lungs is a very common and a very dangerous 

 disease, requiring prompt treatment on its first symptoms being observed. 

 These are extreme dulness, unwillingness to move, laboured breathing, loss 

 of appetite. As the disease proceeds the pulse increases, but lacks power, 

 the flanks heave, the breathing becomes quicker and still more laboured, 

 the ears hang listlessly, and these and the legs become cold, the coat 

 gets rough, the eye shows red, and the lining membrane of the extended 

 nostrils looka inflamed, the horse stands forward and wide in front, and 



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