72 
PARALYSIS. 
of a few days, the mildest cases were completely cured, 
whilst the more severe ones yielded after a rather longer 
time. 
The great interest which appears to attach to them is 
their complete identity with those described by Mr. Storrer, 
and the confirmation they seem to afford to his notion of 
the poisonous effects of rye-grass in a particular stage of its 
decay. Mr. Storrer is quite right when he says that those 
veterinary surgeons e( who have not given notice of the 
epidemics that prevail in their respective districts, have been 
somewhat negligent of their duty to the profession.” He 
has set a good example, and opened an interesting field of 
research, and for my own part, I beg to thank him for his 
valuable contribution to our stock of knowledge. There are 
many diseases prevalent in and peculiar to certain localities, 
of which the great body of the profession know little or 
nothing, and every attempt to disseminate information of 
this character is worthy of the highest praise. How much 
valuable matter might be added to veterinary science, 
if Mr. Storrer’s example should be properly followed up ! 
Whilst on the subject of paralysis, some observations 
which occur to me on the action of the somewhat notorious 
medicine, strychnia, in this disease, may not be considered 
out of place. One of my patients, in March last, was a 
powerful four-year-old waggon-colt, which had suffered from 
a very severe attack of staggers. The acute symptoms had 
yielded to bloodletting, purgation, and the other usual 
modes of treatment; and when I visited the animal on the 
20th of that month, he appeared nearly well, his appetite 
being good, pulse and secretions natural, and he walked with- 
out the least staggering or unsteadiness of gait. Four days 
later he suffered a relapse, and from that period to the 27th 
he lay stretched out in a complete state of unconsciousness 
and paralysis. The most active remedial measures were 
resorted to, and purgation having been induced, he became 
again able to hold his head up, and ate a little. On the 
28th, he raised himself on his haunches, but seemed to have 
lost all power over the hind extremities. Tonics were ad- 
ministered, and a mechanical contrivance was adopted by 
which he could be slung during the day and allowed to lie 
down at night, and under this treatment his appetite became 
completely restored, but the paralytic condition of the hind 
extremities remained. On the 5th of April, I commenced 
the administration of strychnia in three-grain doses, given 
twice a-day in combination with gentian and ginger. On 
the 7th, there were decided symptoms of amendment, and on 
