PARALYSIS OF THE HIND EXTREMITIES. 
487 
pelvis (fissures) resulting from parturition occasionally cause complete 
or incomplete paraplegia. Whether so-called “reflex paralysis ” occurs 
seems doubtful. ‘A great number of bovine diseases described as para¬ 
plegia are clearly due to mistaken diagnosis of painful conditions in the 
hind legs and digits. 
In sheep, paraplegia results from the presence in the medulla of 
coenurus cerebralis, a parasite, which has also been seen in the ox. In 
the later stages of sturdy, sheep always suffer from creeping paralysis of 
the hind-quarters and irregular movements of the hind feet. 
In dogs, paraplegia is sometimes caused by injury (concussion) of 
the spinal cord or fracture of vertebrae, but generally results from 
distemper, and depends on chronic disease of the brain or spinal cord. 
Acute or chronic myelitis and atrophy of the cord have been detected ; 
Siedamgrotzky found oedema of the cord, and Johne yellow points of 
softening in it. In three dogs and one rabbit Mauri noted paralysis 
and rolling movements; red softening of the cerebellum was discovered 
on post-mortem. 
Complete and incomplete paraplegia have also been seen in swine. 
Complete paraplegia is commonest in sucking-pigs on account of the 
little animals being trodden on by the mother ; in older swine rhachitis 
may produce it. Paraplegia has also been seen in birds ; Siedamgrotzky 
noted it in parrots. Its cause is little understood. 
Symptoms and course. It is clear that conditions differing so 
much in their anatomical causation are not likely to agree in their 
symptoms. Nor do the clinical appearances usually exhibit such well- 
marked peculiarities as to admit of definite anatomical diagnosis. The 
nature of these conditions has already been determined to some extent 
in man, but in animals it still remains obscure. Researches are 
specially needed in incomplete paralysis; exact diagnosis of the causa¬ 
tive, condition in complete paralysis of the hind-quarters is less interesting 
on account of the animals being killed as incurable, or dying in conse¬ 
quence of decubitus (a complication which can seldom be prevented), 
though exceptions occur even here, as, for example, in commotio medullse 
spinalis, and the course of the disease must, therefore, be carefully 
watched. The sudden appearance of symptoms, however, does not 
necessarily indicate acute disease ; an army horse which had suddenly 
shown paralysis of the hind-quarters was found to be suffering from an 
osteo-sarcoma of the spinal column. Complete paralysis of the hind¬ 
quarters is distinguished :— 
(1) By inability to stand. The animals lie, and are unable to raise 
themselves or to walk. In exceptional cases, the function of the crural 
nerves, and therefore the ability to stand, is preserved, though the 
animal is unable to walk. This may be due to the fact that the solution 
