lameness: its causes and treatment. 398 



" lame in the loins," or " sprained in the loins," or " weak in the 

 kidneys." This is a grave error, as in fact this simple and gentle 

 yielding to such a pressure is not a pathological sign, but is normal 

 and significant of health. Yet there are several conditions to which 

 the definition of "sprains of the loins" may apply which are not 

 strictly normal. 



Cause. — The muscles of the back and those of the loins proper, as 

 the psoas, may have been injured, or again there may be trouble of a 

 rheumatic nature, perhaps suggestive of lumbago. Diseases of the 

 bones of the vertebral column, or even those of the organs of circula- 

 tion, may give rise to an exhibition of similar symptoms. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms are characteristic of a loss of rigidity 

 or firmness of the vertebral column, both when the animal is at rest 

 and in action. In the former condition, or when at rest, there is an 

 arched condition of the back and a constrained posture in standing, 

 with the hind legs separated. In the latter there is a lateral, balan- 

 cing movement at- the loins, principally noticeable while the animal is 

 in the act of trotting — a peculiar motion, sometimes referred to as a 

 '' crick in the back," or what the French call a " tour de bateau." If, 

 while in action, the animal is suddenly made to halt, the act is accom- 

 panied with much pain, the back suddenly arching or bending later- 

 ally, and perhaps the hind legs thrown under the body, as if unable 

 to perform their functions in stopping, and sometimes it is only 

 accomplished at the cost of a sudden and severe fall. This manifes- 

 tation is also exhibited when the animal is called upon to back, when 

 a repetition of the same symptoms will also occur. 



If a slight pressure on the back or the loins is followed by a 

 moderate yielding of the animal, it is, as before remarked, a good 

 sign of health. With a sprain of the loins pressure of any kind 

 is painful, and will cause the animal to bend or to crouch under it 

 more or less, according to the weight of the pressure. Heavy loads, 

 and even heavy harnessing, will develop this tenderness. In lying 

 down he seems to suffer much discomfort, and often accompanies the 

 act with groaning, and when compelled to rise does so only with 

 great difficulty and seldom succeeds without repeated efforts. 



Sprains of muscles proper, when recent, will always be accom- 

 panied with this series of symptoms, and the fact of their exhibition, 

 with an excessive sensibility of the parts, and possibly with a degree 

 of swelling, will always justify a diagnosis of acute muscular lesion, 

 and especially so if accompanied with a history of violent efforts, 

 powerful muscular strains, falls, heavy loading, etc., connected with 

 the case. If the symptoms have been of slow development and 

 gradual increase, it becomes a more difficult task to determine whether 

 the diagnosis points to pathological changes in the structure of the 

 muscles or of the bones, the nervous centers, or the blood vessels of 



