52 ON THE DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CHORD 
In order to avoid useless repetitions in speaking of paraplegia, I 
shall describe the general symptoms common to the maladies of 
the spinal chord and its membranes; and when narrating any 
particular case, I shall reserve to myself the privilege of pointing 
out the particular symptoms which that case may present, and 
which may throw light on the diagnosis of it. 
Thus, as I have already remarked, palsy of the hind limbs in 
the horse is sometimes the result of a traumatic lesion of the 
rachidian prolongation ; and in a greater number of cases it is the 
consequence of spontaneous lesion of the spinal marrow, or the 
membranes which envelope it. In this last case paraplegia 
manifests itself in a manner almost terrifying, and without any 
precursor symptoms that could lead us to suspect its approach. 
It shews itself ordinarily during work, or immediately after¬ 
wards ; it attacks animals of every age, but particularly young, 
strong, and vigorous horses, employed in hard work ; and espe¬ 
cially limoniers. The horse attacked with this disease becomes 
all at once lame in the hind leg without any apparent cause; and 
the pain is so acute, that he cannot keep himself in the same 
position a single instant. Presently the opposite limb is struck 
in the same manner: he tries to move forward, but in bending 
his hind limbs he walks upon his fetlocks, with a staggering 
pace; he gets on as quickly as he can, in order to avoid falling, 
which he feels to be inevitable, and finally he comes upon his 
haunches, and then tumbles. He makes violent and useless 
efforts to rise, and, should he succeed for a moment, it is only to 
fall again directly. Sometimes he raises himself on his haunches, 
and remains one or two minutes in that position; or he drags 
himself a few paces forward by the power of his fore limbs, which 
still retain their action. 
The digestive functions are not sensibly impaired; and, in spite 
of his severe suffering, he preserves his ordinary appetite one or 
two days. I consider this symptom as pathognomonic, and 
enabling me to distinguish between spontaneous paraplegia and 
those fugitive paralytic affections which are caused by indiges¬ 
tion, retention of urine, &c., and which, I think, are always 
accompanied by loss of appetite. The pulse is variable : it is 
generally full, hard, and accelerated ; sometimes small, quick, 
and little developed ; and at other times slow to a most extra¬ 
ordinary degree. The breathing is quickened, because the animal 
torments himself so much. There is neither constipation nor 
retention of urine, although both the dung and the urine are 
passed with some difficulty. There are partial or general sweats; 
but no appreciable disturbance of the sensorial functions. The 
power of moving the hind limbs, from the first very small, soon 
