AUSTRALIAN STRINGHALT. 551 



happens that the horse remains in the same state in which he was 

 found, for nine, twelve, or eighteen months. In slight cases he 

 may recover in five or six months, but the average duration of the 

 disease is about twelve months. Sometimes, a horse may remain 

 affected, but be able to work for years ; recovery, however, usually 

 takes place sooner or later without treatment of any kind. When 

 the disease proves fatal, death usually takes place about the fourth 

 or fifth day from the commencement. 



VARIETIES OF THE DISEASE.— Mr. Kendall considers that 

 this malady has three forms, namely, local, general, and acute 

 general. 



SYMPTOMS OF THE LOCAL FORM.— This is the most com- 

 mon form of the disease, and is characterised by a peculiar jerking 

 action in one or both hind legs, which may be so slight as to be 

 noticeable only when the animal is suddenly turned round or made 

 to go backwards. In more severe cases, both hind legs may be 

 so badly affected that progression can only be accomplished by a 

 succession of bounds and plunges extremely painful to witness. 



There is no involuntary twitching of the limbs as in chorea (St. 

 Vitus's dance), and it is only during movement or attempted move- 

 ment that the convulsive action is observed. In cases where both 

 legs are badly affected, when the horse desires to move forward, 

 the hind quarters are suddenly elevated, and one hind leg is vio*- 

 lently jerked upwards, sometimes so high that the foot strikes the 

 belly and remains so drawn up. The other is then brought up 

 in a similar manner, the former being at the same time suddenly 

 brought to the ground with great force. At other times, both hind 

 legs will be jerked up simultaneously, or in quick succession, and 

 the hooks remain flexed to their utmost extent, until the haunches 

 almost reach to the ground, before the horse has power to bring the 

 feet down. 



In this form of the disease there is generally a great falling off 

 in condition, the animal having a careworn, tucked-up appearance. 



The appetite is almost invariably good, and the digestive and 

 urinary organs appear to perform their functions properly. The 

 pulse is usually quick, even in cases of long standing. In one case, 

 where the horse had been affected over eighteen months, the pulse 

 was taken on three different occasions, and numbered sixty each 

 time. 



This form of the disease seldom proves fatal, and affected 

 animals usually recover without treatment, in from twelve to 

 eighteen months, and very few instances are known of horses 

 having a relapse after improvement has set in. As soon as the 

 warm weather comes, the symptoms gradually disappear, and the 



