PARALYSIS. 277 



often. We have to deal with .ca.ses of general paralysis wherein 

 both fore and hind Hmbs are aflfected; with hemiplegia or one- 

 sided paralysis in which both fore and hind limbs of one side only 

 are implicated; with paraplegia in which either the near fore and 

 and off hind limbs or vice versa are affected, the result being that 

 we have a bilateral disturbance to deal with; and local paralysis, 

 a condition but rarely seen, but when it does occur, appears to 

 affect the lips, facial muscles, larynx, penis, tail or rectum. 

 When general paralysis takes place it seems to be due to an 

 affection of the brain, such as might supervene upon injuries, 

 as a fall in the hunting field or during a steeplechase. Hemiplegia 

 or one-sided paralysis is probably the rarest form of the disease 

 that occurs in the horse; but when it does arise the angle of the 

 mouth appears to feel the full force of the attack; the lips on the 

 affected side hang pendulous and the animal can neither take up 

 food or water in consequence. When called upon to move the 

 animal is inclined to bear towards the affected side, and if left to 

 itself would soon walk in a circle, as going straight ahead seems to 

 be out of the question; the limbs on the opposite side to the lesion 

 of the brain are the ones that fail to do their duty. 



Paraplegia, or transverse loss of power is the form most gener- 

 ally seen in the horse; among the causes to which it is due we 

 have to enumerate injuries to the brain and spinal cord from frac- 

 tures of the vertebrae or spicules of bone in the cranium; a dis- 

 eased condition of the ner\-e substance of the cord; a lack of 

 nutrition of the nerve centres through the blood; and reflex irrita- 

 tion from some foreign agent such as of worms, in the intestines. 



Local paralysis is generally due to some direct injury upon the 

 affected organ or part of the body — probably the most frequently 

 observed development takes place in the muscles of the face, due 

 as it is considered to some impairment of the functional powers of 

 the port to dura nerve; the indications of the existence of this form 

 of paralysis are observed in the lips and mouth generally, affect- 

 ing not only the powers of prehension, but also those of mastica- 

 tion; the latter symptom distinguishes local paralysis from hemi- 

 plegia, so far as the muscles of the face are concerned. 



Treatment. — Causlicmn ix. In paralysis of the lips, face and 

 larynx this remed}^ has acquired considerable reputation, not only 

 among men, but animals also; as Dr. Hughes points out, a lead- 



