CRURAL PARALYSIS 119 



patient has for some time been a bit "stringy." E\d- 

 dence of stringhalt has especially been noted in horses 

 when they are first started in harness in the morning. 



As has already been said, the condition is important 

 only from the standpoint of prognosis. When presented 

 for the veterinarian 's attention, a case of transient crural 

 paralysis appears quite formidable. From the appear- 

 ance of the patient a grave prognosis seems necessary to 

 the inexperienced. Rarely does this condition persist 

 longer than four or five hours. Even without treatment 

 of any kind most cases terminate favorably in a few 

 hours. Recovery is spontaneous, almost instantaneous, 

 and complete. However, recurrence is common. Some 

 horses have an attack of transient crural paralysis every 

 few weeks or months. In some instances each attack is 

 more marked and persists for a longer period of time 

 than previous attacks. The stringhalt symptom is also 

 aggravated. 



The repetition of attacks abates with maturity. After 

 the sixth year few cases are seen. In horses developing 

 repeated attacks of this affection treatment aimed at a 

 constitutional disturbance is valuable. Fowler's solution 

 of arsenic, iron, or iodides may be tried in turn. In my 

 experience iodides gave the best results. Stimulating 

 liniments, blisters, and massage may be used locally. 



The pathology of this condition is not known. No 

 doubt it is due to a functional aberration in one of the 

 body glands concerned in controlling growth. Possibly 

 the thyroid gland is involved. From the salutary effect 

 obtained from the administration of potassium iodid in 

 recurrent attacks one may suspect the thyroid gland is 

 affected in these eases. 



