10 
ANIMAL PATHOLOGY. 
fluid; or the inferior columns (the anterior ones in the human 
being) will be softened, while the superior ones will be unaffected. 
Prognosis. — Well, gentlemen, you will have to do with a 
very serious complaint here, and, in the majority of cases, the 
termination will be fatal. You will anxiously endeavour to ascer- 
tain the cause. Is there any fracture or dislocation of the spine? 
if so, you have no power to reduce the one or the other — and the 
sooner you terminate the sufferings of the patient the better. Is 
the cause unknown, or can you connect it with extra-exertion, or 
exposure to cold? — are you assured that it is not the winding up an 
old spinal affection? — proceed to adopt the proper measures of cure, 
but let your prognosis always be guarded, and generally unfa- 
vourable. 
Treatment . — You will usually commence with bleeding . There 
has been or there is inflammation, and that of an intense charac- 
ter, and threatening fatal lesions of the part affected. Bleed, as 
my advice in inflammatory cases has always been, until the cir- 
culation is evidently affected — until the pulse begins to falter, 
or the horse to stagger, or to blow. Then purge — give the usual 
dose of aloes, according to the height and form of the patient, 
or his already known susceptibility to the impression of purgative 
medicine ; and add to that from six to ten grains of the croton 
nut. Blister the whole of the lumbar region, and the posterior 
part of the dorsal ; or what, perhaps, is better, cover the loins 
with a mustard poultice, frequently removed. Cover with plenty 
of warm clothing — give plenty of warm water, or thin gruel — 
supply plentifully with mashes — remove both hay and corn — 
back-rake, and throw up frequent injections. You will soon 
find out whether there is any likelihood of success. They are 
usually not very lingering cases. If you imagine that the case 
is going on favourably, do not, on that account, relax in your 
attention, for a relapse too frequently occurs, and it is worse to 
contend with than the original complaint. You may give your 
patient green meat— a little hay; but do not be led away by the 
common notion of debility — do not suffer him to have a morsel 
of corn ; and, above all things, not one grain of cordial or 
tonic medicine. Remember that, nine times out of ten, palsy 
in the horse is an inflammatory complaint, or, at least, the 
result of inflammation. 
There is one way in which you may give apparent tone and 
strength to the part. As soon as the heat and tenderness have 
a little abated, and the animal regains, to a slight degree, the 
use of his limbs — or if, the inflammation having passed away, 
it becomes a case of chronic palsy, put a charge over the loins, 
and an extensive and a stimulating one. To the usual pitch and 
