STRINGHALT. 153 



were all beautifully developed, presenting no inequality or irregularity of 

 structure, nor aught that would warrant the suspicion that any one of them 

 possessed an undue power or influence beyond the others. The only abnormal 

 circumstance about them was that they were of a rather darker yellow in colour 

 than is usually found. This referred to them generally, and not to any parti- 

 cular muscle or sets of muscles. 



The lumbar, crural, and sciatic nerves were examined from the spot at 

 ■which they emerge from the spinal cord to their ultimate distributions. 

 The crural and lumbar nerves were perfectly healthy. The sciatic nerve, 

 at the aperture through which it escapes from the spine, was darker in 

 colour than is usual, being of a yellowish-brown hue. Its texture was 

 softened, and its fibrillse somewhat loosely connected together. The nerve 

 was of its usual size ; but on tracing it in its course through the muscles of the 

 haunch, several spots of ecchymosis presented themselves, and were more par- 

 ticularly marked on that part of the nerve which is connected with the sacro- 

 sciatic ligament. As the nerve approached the hock, it assumed its natural 

 colour and tone ; and the fibres given off from it to the muscles situated inferior 

 to the stifle-joint were of a perfectly healthy character. 



On dissecting out a portion of the nerve where it appeared to be in a diseased 

 state, it was found that this ecchymosis was confined to the membranous investi- 

 ture of the nerve, and that its substance, when pressed from its sheath, presented 

 a perfectly natural character. 



The cavity of the cranium, and the whole extent of the spinal canal, were 

 next laid open. The brain and spinal marrow were deprived of their mem- 

 branous coverings, and both the thecae and their contents diligently examined. 

 There was no lesion in any part of them, not even at the lumbar region. 



The articulations of every joint of the hind extremities then underwent 

 inspection, and no disease could be detected in either of them. 



Professor Spooner was of opinion that this peculiar affection was not refer- 

 rible to any diseased state of the brain or spinal cord, nor to any local affection 

 of the muscles of the limbs, but simply to a morbid affection of the sciatic 

 nerve. He had not dissected a single case of stringhalt in which he had not 

 found disease of this nerve, which mainly contributes to supply the hind extre- 

 mities with sensation and the power of voluntary motion. 



Now comes a very important question. What connexion is there between 

 stringhalt and the supposed value or deterioration of the horse ? Some expe- 

 rienced practitioners have maintained that it is a pledge of more than usual 

 muscular power. It is a common saying that " there never was a horse with 

 stringhalt that was incapable of doing the work required of him." Most cer- 

 tainly we continually meet with horses having stringhalt that pleasantly dis- 

 charge all ordinary, and even extraordinary, service ; and although stringhalt 

 is excess or irregular distribution of nervous power, it at least shows the 

 existence of that power, and the capability in the muscular system of being 

 acted upon by it. Irregular distributions of vital energy are not, however, 

 things to be desired. They argue disease and derangement of the system, and 

 a predisposition to greater derangement. They materially interfere with the 

 speed of the horse. This was decidedly the case with regard to the poor fellow 

 whose history has been related. 



Stringhalt is decided unsoundness. It is an irregular supply of the nervous 

 influence, or a diseased state of the nervous or muscular system, or both. It pre- 

 vents us from suddenly and at once calling upon the horse for the full exercise 

 of his speed and power, and therefore it is unsoundness ; but generally speaking, 

 it so little interferes with the services of the animal, that although an unsound- 

 ness, it would not weigh a great deal against other manifest valuable qualities. 



