Chronic Myelitis. Sclerosis. 169 



follows an acute attack of myelitis, on the supervention of mus- 

 ■cular weakness and lack of muscular control, whenever the animal 

 is exercised to fatigue, the morbid symptoms subsiding promptly 

 when he is allowed to rest, the aggravation of these symptoms 

 -when the patient is blindfolded and a gradual though slow ad- 

 vance of the symptoms with the lapse of time. From arteritis 

 and embolism it is to be distinguished by the absence of the local 

 symptoms of pain and tenderness, and by the absence of pulsation 

 in the same artery distal of the obstruction and of improvement 

 by the lapse of time or a run at grass. 



Treatment Unless in the very early stages even a partial re- 

 covery is not to be looked for. By a run at grass or by gentle 

 well regulated exercise the impaired nerves and muscles may be 

 ■educated to a better control for a limited period but the progress 

 of the disease is not really arrested and the final issue is likely to 

 be ruinous. Even in man, where 90 per cent, of the cases are 

 connected with syphilis, the fibroid hyperplasia (sclerosis) is not 

 remedied as gummataare, by mercury and iodides. In the soliped, 

 -where no such specific disease can be charged, the repair of the 

 structural changes is no more hopeful. The many different 

 methods of treatment in man, — electricity, blisters, firing, stretch- 

 ing of the spine, stretching, of the sciatic and crural nerves 

 — though inducing transient improvement in many cases, 

 produce no real permanent benefit, and are to be remand- 

 ed to the region of psychic inferences which have little or 

 no place in the therapeutics of the lower animals. Strych- 

 nia, veratrin and other spinal stimulants are of little per- 

 manent value. A general hygienic and corroborative treatment 

 may be used with the view of retarding the progress of the dis- 

 ease rather than of curing it. Open air exercise, sunshine, suc- 

 culent pasturage, an ample supply of pure water, and active 

 grooming are valuable. Nourishing food is all important. 

 I^ecithin or the hypodermic injection of spermin or other rich 

 albuminous animal product i$ useful. A course of bicarbonate of 

 soda and carbonate of iron with or without bitters may be tried. 

 When the animal must be kept on dry winter food; he should 

 have free access to common salt and water. This favors at once 

 absorption, assimilation, and elimination, and by fostering nu- 

 trition and the removal of waste matters, it contributes to keep 



