PALSY. 137 



oats should be turned out to grass. However, when 

 the spine is decidedly fractured, all treatment is hope- 

 less. These lesions may spring from seemingly in- 

 adequate causes ; the only proof of the existence of 

 such a fracture being the animal sitting up on the 

 haunches like a dog ; but, at the same time, having 

 lost all sensation and power of motion in the hinder 

 limbs. 



The action of medicine is uncertain in this disease ; 

 but the iodide of iron and the nux vomica in powder 

 have appeared to do good. They may be used sepa- 

 rately or together; working the dose of each from 

 half a drachm to as much as the horse can bear. 

 Then the quantity of each must be lowered to half a 

 drachm, and both be administered in combination. A 

 ball is the best vehicle for these medicines; and the 

 bulk required may be created by linseed meal and 

 treacle, mixed together ; or gentian and ginger occa- 

 sionally may be substituted for the first ingredient. 

 It is scarcely credible to what extent the spine will 

 often appear to have suffered upon examination after 

 death. Anchylosis, or loss of motion in the joints, 

 has, in aggravated cases, extended along almost the 

 whole of the back. A very common and unsuspected 

 cause of this is the narrow stall of some crowded or 

 ill-built stable. The horse is often compelled to 

 bend himself into a half-circle in order to turn. The 

 ligaments of some of the joints of the spine must be 

 stretched by this ; and especially when the animal is 

 forced to bustle round as quickly as he can at the 

 command of a brutal servant. Such injury may ap- 

 pear to be slight at first; but its frequent repetition 



