PARALYSIS. 195 
changing from a green to a dry state, there being then pre- 
sent some narcotic or paralysis-producing principle.” 
That horses so circumstanced will almost invariably become 
affected with this disease I believe to be correct ; indeed, 
from the system of agriculture pursued in the district I have 
already mentioned, by far the greater number of my cases 
have been traceable to this cause alone. For several seasons I 
was firmly of opinion that the disease was producible only by 
rye-grass in this transition stage; however, from extended 
observation and experience, I have found it equally prevalent 
where animals have been fed on ripe vetches, rank meadow 
grass, or, in fact on any kind of ripe green food where the 
woody fibre has a considerable preponderance over the 
more easily digested and succulent materials. 
That there is any specific poisonous principle in any or 
all of these articles of food, I can scarcely believe, unless 
we rank this excess of ligneous material, from its indigesti- 
bility and powers of intestinal irritation as such. And that 
the presence of such materials in the stomach and alimen- 
tary canal are susceptible of producing an impairment, or 
deprivation of nervous or muscular energy, we have many 
proofs, not only in the horse, but even more so amongst 
cattle. 
Tn the application of therapeutic agents I have been en- 
tirely guided by the conviction that it is, as Mr. Storrer 
remarks, “ primarily a derangement of the digestive func- 
tions.” The animal is removed, if possible, to an airy, loose 
box, the food entirely changed, the bowels evacuated by a 
smart cathartic, followed up, if necessary, by daily repeated 
doses of 
Ferri Sulpli. et Gentian*. 
In more protracted cases, I have found much good to 
result from the application of one or two mustard cataplasms, 
or a mercurial charge over the lumbo-sacral region. Mr. 
Litt^s remarks on the action of strychnia in these cases I 
consider very valuable, but having only once had the oppor- 
tunity of employing it, I wish to be moderate in its praise, 
although I may say that its exhibition was attended with the 
best results. It was administered in the form of nux vomica, 
in one-drachm doses of the powder. The doses were exhi- 
bited at first once, and ultimately twice each day, extending 
over a period of ten days. 
