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poisons in tbe blood, or to reflex origin. When hemiplegia is due to or 

 the result of a prior disease of the brain, especially of an inflammatory 

 character, it is seldom complete; it may only affect one limb and one 

 side of the head, neck, or muscles along the back, and may pass off in 

 a few days after the disappearance of all the other evidences of the 

 primary affection. In the majority of cases, however, hemiplegia arises 

 from emboli obstructing one or more blood-vessels of the brain, or the 

 rupture of some vessel the wall of which had become weakened by 

 degeneration and the extravasation of blood. Sensibility in most cases 

 is not impaired, but in some there is a loss of sensibility as well as of 

 motion. In some cases the bladder and rectum are involved in the 

 paralysis. 



Sympto7ns.—Jn hemiplegia the attack may be very sudden, and the 

 animal fall down powerless to move one side of the body ; one side of 

 the lips will be relaxed ; the tongue may hang out on one side of the 

 mouth ; the tail curved around sideways ; an inability to swallow food 

 or water may be present, and oflen the urine dribbles away as fast as it 

 collects in the bladder. Sensibility of the affected side may be en- 

 tirely lost or only partial ; the limbs may be cold, and sometimes un- 

 naturally warm. In cases wherein the attack is not so severe the ani- 

 mal may be able to maintain the standing position, but will have great 

 difficulty in moving the affected side. In such cases the animal may 

 recover from the disability. In the more severe, where there is com- 

 plete loss of the power of movement, recoveries are rare. 



PARAPLEGIA — TRANSVERSE PARALYSIS OF THE HIND EXTREMITIES. 



Paralysis of the hind extremities is usually due to some injury, or 

 inflammation affecting the spinal cord. (See "Spinal Meningitis " and 

 "Myelitis.") It may also be due to a reflex irritation from disease of 

 peripheral nerves, to spinal irritation or congestion caused by blood 

 poisons, etc. 



Symptoms. — When due to mechanical injury of the spinal cord, from 

 a broken back or spinal hemorrhage, it is generally progressive in its char- 

 acter, although it may be sudden. When it is caused by agents in the 

 blood it may be intermittent or recurrent. 



Paraplegia is not difficult to recognize, for it is characterized by a 

 weakness and imperfect control of tiie hind legs, and powerless tail. 

 The urine usually dribbles away as it is formed and the manure is 

 pushed out, ball by ball, without any voluntary effort, or the passages 

 may cease entirely. When paraplegia is complete, large and ill-con- 

 ditioned sores soon form on the hips and thighs from chafing and bruis- 

 ing, which have a tendency to quickly weaken the animal and necessi- 

 tate his destruction. 



