NEW EPIDEMIC AMONG HORSES. 
497 
rather thrown himself down several times, and had thereby- 
inflicted sundry bruises on his body. I had him removed 
to a more roomy box, where he remains and is very much 
better, but still under treatment. 
Case 4. — On the 7th ult., I was sent for by Sir John 
Macneill to visit an entire horse that was working on his 
farm at Mountpleasant, near Dundalk, up to the evening 
before. He was observed to reel on his hind legs when 
loosed out of yoke. He used his fore legs well enough, but 
could not manage the hinder, as the messenger said. This 
was hint enough for me of the nature of the complaint. 
Upon my arrival I found, as I had expected, another case 
of paraplegia. He had lain down, and it required the help 
of a number of men to get him up and removed to a proper 
place. The extremities were partially paralysed, but not 
insensible, as the touch of a needle on the hind fetlock made 
him warn me not to try it again. He was immediately bled ; 
counter-irritants were applied to the spinal column and a 
purgative administered, &c. 
Cases 4,5, 6. —The next day, the 8th instant, I was 
surprised by an order to immediately visit three other horses 
of Sir John’s, similarly affected. I found all of them in the 
same way, labouring under the same complaint, but differing 
only in degree. One of these, an aged mare, had no sensa- 
tion at all in the hind legs below the hocks. I did not bleed 
in this case, as the feeble state of her pulse forbade it ; but 
the extract of belladonna in large doses was administered. 
I have the pleasure of adding that the four animals are pro- 
gressing favourably, and appear at the present time in a fair 
way of recovery. 
Cases 8, 9- — Upon Thursday, the 10th instant, Mr. Wil- 
liam Clarke, of Rostrevor, required mv attendance to two of 
his stud affected with “ staggers,” as he described it. I 
found both animals in a field of grass. One of them, a brood 
mare, lay thoroughly prostrate on her side, and unable even 
to lift her head off the ground without help. She would, 
however, readily eat when food was put to her mouth, and 
the angles of the jaws were absolutely abraded by friction 
on the ground in the process of mastication. She had no 
feeling in her hind quarters, and to raise her up was impos- 
sible. Her pulse was 70, and very weak. 
My employer had given this case up as hopeless ; but as 
in professional avocations nil desperandum is my motto, I put 
the animal under the same course of treatment as my other 
patients, and I rejoice to say that our efforts were so far 
crowned with success that this mare got up without assistance 
xxx. 66 
