LEGAL ASPECT OF SPRAIN. 61 



ibe back-bone. The action of the " under-cut " muscles is (when 

 the hind legs are fixed) to bend the loins ; that of the ilio-spinalis, 

 to straighten them. The principal causes are : (1) Violent efforts 

 to extend (straighten) the back, as when struggling on the ground 

 with the hind feet secured and brought forward for an operation, 

 jumping, or drawing a heavy load ; (2) violent efforts to flex (bend) 

 the back, as when a horso " slips-up " with his hind legs behind 

 him, or when his hind legs get caught in a fence when jumping ; 

 and (3) falls. 



The usual symptoms are those of more or less paralysis of the 

 hind legs. If the horse is quite unable to support himself behind, 

 even when lifted up on his feet, it may be concluded that he has 

 broken his back. This accident is not incompatible with his pos- 

 sessing some sensibility in his hin-d quarters, and the power of 

 moving his tail ; always supposing that there has not been dis- 

 placement of the fractured ends of the broken vertebra. 



TREATMENT.— If the patient can stand moderately well, put 

 him in slings (p. 690) ; otherwise let him lie down and keep an 

 attendant to prevent him from attempting to rise. Give three or 

 four enemas (p. 643), with intervals of a couple of hours between 

 each, to clear out the intestinal canal, and, it may be, to soothe 

 the inflamed parts. Give a pint of linseed oil as a drench, and 

 proceed as directed vnder "General Treatment of Sprains" (p. 2S 

 et seq.). 



Legal Aspect of Sprain. 



Any alteration of structure, caused by sprain, in a part con- 

 cerned in the locomotion of a horse, is undoubtedly an unsoundness. 



