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ON SPASM OF THE VOLUNTARY MUSCLES. 
nounce it in precept or in doctrine, or to yield obedience to any 
orders but such as are at once just, lawful, or founded on utility. 
From this source spring greatness of mind and contempt of 
worldly advantages and troubles.” 
ON SPASM OF THE VOLUNTARY MUSCLES. 
By Mr. John Stewart, Andersonian Veterinary Professor , 
Glasgow. 
“ We see a little, and form an opinion; we see more, and change it.” 
In the seventh vol. of The Veterinarian there is a paper, 
by M. Prevost, containing an account of some cases of cramp. 
When I first read this article, I confess that I felt disposed to 
regard it as legislators do those petitions which they order to lie 
on the table. Like the backward debtor, I said this requires 
further investigation ; we’ll see about it by and by. Since 
that time, however, I have seen two cases of cramp, which, with 
me, establish the fact that horses are liable to such an affection. 
They are so very like those recorded by M. Prevost, that, but 
for the recent remarks of Mr. Spooner upon this subject, the 
readers of The Veterinarian would not have been troubled 
with them. 
On the 21st of March a bay coach horse was docked; and on 
the 2d of April he was observed to have cramp in the left hind 
leg. I saw him on the 3d. He was standing in the stable ap- 
parently quite well ; but on attempting to put him over to one 
side of the stall, he suddenly threw the left hind leg outwards 
and backwards ; he sprawled about as if he would have fallen. 
On backing him to the door he seemed quite unable to bend the 
hock joint, or to draw the limb forward. The muscles on the 
back of the thigh and all round the tibia were very rigid. After 
hopping a few paces on three legs, the horse was returned to the 
stable as bad as when I first saw him : but I was told that the 
cramp usually disappeared in a minute or two. I watched him 
for a little, and observed that when he moved, which was seldom 
without compulsion, he did so without any spasm, and it re- 
turned when he was directed to shift his position. A smart 
purgative was given ; and next day the horse appeared to be 
quite well. Shortly afterwards he went to work, but was laid 
up about the end of April for nasal discharge, for which he got 
some tonic medicine. On the 4th of May he had another attack 
of cramp. This time it was in the right hind leg. He could 
not bring the leg forward ; but, when placed beneath him, he 
