PARALYSIS OF RADIAL NERVE. 
p' ~| ** 
51 o 
journey, and, being painful, caused the animal to lie a great deal, 
following which the radial nerve of the right limb became affected. 
Friis describes a case complicated with paralysis of the hind leg of the 
opposite side (hemiplegia cruciata). 
A series of interesting clinical records and a full description of this 
disease will be found in Cadiot and Dollar’s “ Clinical 
Veterinary Medicine and Surgery,” p. 64. 
Willis, Rogers, Hunting and others have drawn 
attention to the frequency with which pronounced 
radial paralysis is associated with fracture of the first 
rib. For a time, indeed, it was believed that radial 
paralysis was always caused by fracture of the first 
rib, but a more careful research has disposed of this 
-L. 
view. Rogers in 1894 described the following case in 
an eight year old well-bred chestnut mare. The animal 
had been worked for three hours in a victoria, and 
returned home with great difficulty, exceedingly lame in 
the off fore leg. The near fore heel showed signs of a 
recent overreach. The animal was in great pain, and 
supported the weight of the body mainly on the hind 
legs; the off fore leg was flexed, the knee and fetlock 
bent, and the outside of the toe just touched the 
ground. The elbow was lower than normal, but was 
not unusually “ dropped.” By forcing the knee back¬ 
wards, and thus straightening the leg, the animal was 
enabled to take one step with the sound limb; but 
immediately the knee of the injured limb became in 
the least degree bent the leg collapsed, and the animal 
nearly fell. Progress was facilitated by pulling forward 
the lame leg as far as possible, and then pressing on 
the knee until a step had been taken with the sound 
leg. The most marked symptoms were absolute in¬ 
ability to advance the leg, and great difficulty in keeping 
it perpendicular. No fracture of any of the leg bones could be dis¬ 
tinguished. Crepitus was entirely absent. 
Fractured first rib was diagnosed. The animal was placed in 
slings. 
During the three weeks and three days it was kept, the limb was 
always flexed and turned slightly inwards, so that the outside toe of 
the foot became worn. 
Post-mortem examination showed fractured first rib (see fig. 192); the 
surrounding muscles were not lacerated or ruptured. Only a small 
provisional callus had formed. The broken and overlapped pieces of 
L L 2 
Fig. 192. 
