402 HTSTEBIA. 



confined to the psoas muscles.* When the voluntary muscles 

 of the organism at large are afiected, the appetite of the patient 

 will be bad ; the movements of the limbs will be feeble, stiff, 

 and somewhat imcertain ; the abdomen will present a pinched- 

 up condition, and the patient will daily lose bulk. The system, 

 in fact, when so affected, requires tone and vigour ; where the 

 muscular debility, however, more especially affects the psoas 

 muscles, the movements of the hind limbs are of a different 

 character from what I have described, and are such as to indicate 

 the structures affected. In addition to the general weakness 

 of the limbs, the haunches will be straighter than natural, and 

 the animal will step as though one hind leg was longer than 

 the other — similar, indeed, to the movements of a man having 

 a long leg and a longer, and who, when walking, will rise and 

 fall at every step. 



Tbbatment. — In conditions of the kind now described, I 

 do not advocate much treatment medically if it can be avoided. 

 If the weather be favourable, and the season of the year proper, 

 the best thing to do is to turn the patient for several weeks to 

 grass, when, in all probability, the animal will return perfectly 

 restored ; but if the season prevents this, then try the effects 

 upon the patient of a loose box, warmth, and diet of a soft and 

 nutritious character. 



The best remedies in general are — Barbadoes Aloes, Sesqui- 

 chloride of Iron, Tincture of Capsicum, Arnica, Ehus Toxico- 

 dendron, and Cold Water Cloths to the spine. 



Sarhadoes Aloes. — Use the Aloes, and administer them 



as directed at page 397. Use them until purging commences, 



then withhold the remedy, and after the subsidence of the 



purging have recourse to the Sesquichloride of Iron and Capsi- 



* The psoaa muscles are muscles situate under tlie spine. See Glossary. 



