396 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
animals with a great deal of reserve and after repeated examinations, in 
dogs especially, where rheumatic pains are very common, and might be 
taken for neuralgia. 
Neuralgia is treated by local means and internal medication. Sooth- 
ing compounds and antispasmodics, specially bromide of potassium, vale- 
rian, asafetida, camphor, opium, belladonna, aconite, have been tried. 
To-day morphine injections, antipyrine, cocaine, hold the lead in anti- 
neuralgic medication. 
Upon the course of the supposed* diseased nerve, cataplasms, oils of 
hyoscyamus, of belladonna, blisters, points of firing, subcutaneous local 
injections of morphine and atropine, are useful. Some authors recom- 
mend massage, acupuncture, electricity. Sometimes the general condi- 
tion of the patient must be looked after. Anemic animals should receive 
iron and quinine; rheumatic patients, salicylate,of soda. 
Against some rebel neuralgias, more active treatment is required. Two. 
methods are left to the surgeon’s choice; stretching of the nerve and 
neurotomy. ‘The first diminishes the transmission of sensibility of the , 
nerve without changing the motility. On the contrary, neurotomy sup- 
presses all nervous current, and if it is completed by neurectomy (removal. 
of a piece of it), the regeneration of the nerve is more or less postponed 
and therefore also the reappearance of the sensibility. These two rival 
modes are not judged yet by veterinarians. However, neurotomy is more 
familiar to them, and it is’ used for many painful conditions that have: 
remained rebel to ordinary therapeutic agents. 
Vv. 
PARALYSIS. 
Under this name or that of akinesia is understood the abolition or 
diminution of the contractility of muscles through their normal 
stimulant. The simple diminution of muscular contractility is some- 
times designated under the name of saresy. The loss of sensibility to 
pain or to touch (azaleesy and anesthesy) often exist with akinesia and 
furnishes important elements of diagnosis. We have spoken of myopa- 
chic paralysis in studying the diseases of muscles ; we will here treat only 
of the neuropathic paralysis. 
They present themselves under very varying forms, among which are : 1st, 
focal ox isolated paralysis, involving one or several muscles of the same group, 
sometimes several muscular groups; 2d, monoplegia or paralysis involving 
a whole leg, and of cerebral or spinal origin ; 3d, hemiplegia or paralysis of 
one lateral half of. the trunk; 4th, paraplegia or paralysis of the hing 
quarters ; 5th, associated paralysis ; 6th, diaplegia or diffused paralysis. 
