238 DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CORD 



Treatment. — The patient should be made as comfortable as 

 possible. Horses should be given deep bedding and the 

 paralyzed parts kept scrupulously clean and protected to 

 avoid decubitus. If the conditions permit a sling may be 

 used. Internally salicylate of sodium (§ss) or calomel (5j) 

 may be used. When the pain is very great and the spasms of 

 the muscles marked, narcotics such as chloral hydrate or 

 morphin may be administered. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CORD. 



Spinal Myelitis. 



Definition. — Spinal myelitis is an inflammation of the sub- 

 stance of the cord usually due to infection or intoxication. 



Occurrence. — Spinal myelitis is a rare disease in horses and 

 cattle. 



Etiology. — It is usually secondary to influenza, rabies, 

 rarely to tuberculosis in the ox, and still more rarely to 

 strangles. In so-called forage poisoning of horses occasion- 

 ally myelitis has been noted. In many instances no cause 

 can be determined. Refrigeration, overexertion, and abuse 

 of the sexual organs are probably only predisposing factors. 



Symptoms. — Three forms of myelitis are described from a 

 clinical standpoint, viz. : (a) transverse, (6) disseminated, and 

 (c) diffuse. In animals a differentiation among these, how- 

 ever, is not always possible. The symptoms of myelitis are 

 ' dependent upon the site and extent of the spinal inflammation 

 and vary accordingly. 



Transverse Myelitis. — A. focal lesion affecting more or less 

 completely the whole transverse area of the cord. Depending 

 upon whether the cervical, dorsal, or lumbosacral regions are 

 involved the symptoms will vary. 



The sensory and motor disturbances usually develop gradu- 

 ally. For a time the animal may show only early fatigue 

 when at work, may lie down frequently and rise to its feet 

 with difficulty. Later the gait becomes irregular behind, the 

 animal seems "weak in the back," and frequently knuckles 

 in the hind fetlock. Later it may become completely par- 

 alyzed behind the point of lesion. Horses may therefore 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



