NECROSIS OF THE OCCIPUT. 
590. 
character until it has passed through two-thirds of the small in- 
testine. 
This intestine can only accomplish its peristaltic motion and all 
its secretions while it constitutes a part of the living frame; and 
its functions, like those of the stomach, are under the controul of 
the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous influence. 
NECROSIS OF THE OCCIPUT, FOLLOWED BY 
INCOMPLETE PARAPLEGIA AND EPILEPSY. 
By Mr. Robert Read, Crediton, Devon . 
A BAY horse, nine years old, belonging to S. Brown, Esq., 
having an abscess of the poll for several months, was seized with 
a partial incapability of moving his hind legs. In a staggering 
manner with some difficulty he was led to my infirmary. On the 
following morning he could move rather better with the hind legs; 
but the fore extremities were now implicated, and any act in 
moving produced convulsive twitchings and spasmodic rigidity of 
the muscles of the neck, shoulder, lips, &c. with retraction of the 
eyes and protrusion of the haw. 
The general excitement was very great. Any sudden noise 
would bring on convulsions of an epileptic character, viz. violent 
spasmodic muscular action, until he fell on his side, and then 
all four legs would be as stiff as so many posts. Sometimes one, 
and at other times all the legs had rapid convulsive movements. 
There would be foaming at the mouth and grinding of the teeth, 
eyes retracted in their orbits, eyelids partially closed. This fit 
would last about ten minutes, and then the horse would scramble 
up and begin to eat. The paralysis and fits continued from the 
23d to the 27th of May, when he died in a convulsive paroxysm. 
Treatment .■ — As the pupil was dilated, and vision rather im- 
perfect, pulse full, slow, and moderately hard, I bled and gave a 
purgative of aloes and croton, which acted well. I also gave half 
a drachm of prussic acid in a pint of cold water, every four hours, 
which he freely drank. No relief was obtained, nor were the con- 
vulsive struggles lessened. 
Post-mortem appearances .- — I expected from the symptoms, 
that there was effusion on the cerebellum ; but on taking off the 
skin covering the occiput, a sanious discharge escaped, expos- 
ing a piece of detached bone, the cavity around being in a state of 
necrosis. A small sinus extended into the investment of the 
skull, with a serous effusion, and a little pus on the cerebellum 
and spinal marrow. The tunics were slightly congested. 
