THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
807 
slipping in frosty weather, and sometimes from carrying a 
heavy weight to hounds in a severe run ; but neither of these 
causes were in operation in this case. 
The subject in question was a bay cart-horse, six years old, 
which in the act of staling slipped and fell. He tried to 
recover himself, but was unable to do so. 
My attention was called to him on August 8th, at 7.30 p.m., 
five hours after the accident. I found him lying on his near 
side, totally unable to rise. The pulse was quick and small, 
easily giving way under the pressure of the finger. Profuse 
perspiration covered the flanks, and considerable pain was 
shown when pressure was applied to the loins, especially 
on the right side. The hind legs were cold and paralysed to 
a certain extent ; there was also partial loss of sensation, 
which gradually became worse. I diagnosed the case to he 
one of injury to the lumbar vertebra. 
Treatment . — I had the horse placed upon his chest and 
well packed up with straw, after which I administered some 
aperient medicine and threw up clysters. The loins were also 
well fomented, and then stimulated with mustard and vinegar. 
Before leaving for the night I had the body well covered with 
warm rugs. 
August 9th, 10 a.m. — Pulse very weak, almost imper- 
ceptible at jaw ; no evacuations ; hind extremities cold, and 
total loss of sensation. I introduced a catheter, which relieved 
the bladder of about a pint and a half of urine ; but seeing no 
chance of recovery I ordered him to be destroyed. 
Autopsy . — Expecting to find some direct cause of pressure 
upon the spinal cord, I made a careful examination, but 
could detect no injury done to the cord or to any of the 
vertebrae. The psoas magnus, however, of the off side was 
extensively lacerated, and the surrounding tissues distended 
with clotted blood. It was self-evident that the paralysis 
was caused by the torn nerve-fibres and the pressure of the 
coagulum. 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
By Professor James Buckman, F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. 
( Con tinued from p. 789.) 
Oats. — As oats form so important an article of food to 
our domestic animals, and the facts of their development and 
production so well illustrate some of the more important 
principles of Botany, we purpose to devote this paper to a 
