172 ON THE DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CHORD. 
single one of these causes with inflammation of the spinal chord 
or its membranes, as, for instance, when palsy suddenly attacks 
the horse, we must acknowledge that we cannot find any one 
among them possessed of sufficient power to effect this; all act¬ 
ing too mildly to produce a disease whose attack is so sudden 
and its progress so rapid. The violent efforts which we exact 
from certain horses are much more likely causes of this affec¬ 
tion. This opinion will probably appear better founded, if we 
recollect the circumstances that attended the cases which have 
been related; that palsy has chiefly attacked those animals 
which have been subjected to hard work, and that its principal 
seat has been in the dorso-lumbar region ; that is to say, in that 
point of the vertebral column which is least supported, where 
the greatest movement takes place, and w'here the most violent 
efforts are made. 
Beside these occasional causes, there are, without doubt, some 
occult ones, with which we cannot yet fairly grapple. There 
exist in certain horses particular inappreciable predispositions, 
which render it impossible for us long to ward off the attack of 
this disease. It is probable that sanguineous congestions 
often precede inflammations of the spinal canal in the horse ; and 
we will say that the considerable development of the spinal 
membrane, the important functions which it performs, the isola¬ 
tion of the veins of the spinal chord, the absence of valves in 
those vessels, and the slowness of the circulation which is the 
necessary result of this, would unavoidably dispose this animal 
to apoplexy of the membranes of the chord, and to all its conse¬ 
quences ; that is to say, to spinal meningitis, and to inflamma¬ 
tion and softening of the spinal marrow. 
§ VI. 
The sudden attack of these diseases of the spinal chord in 
the horse, their rapid march, and, above all, the organic lesions 
which they cause, leave no doubt as to the inflammatory nature 
of these affections, and the antiphlogistic treatment with which 
they should be combated. Abundant bleedings, practised at 
the jugulars, the saphenas, or the tail, and repeated more or less 
frequently, according to the state of the pulse, the strength of 
the patient, and the intensity of the disease ;—mucilaginous 
drinks, strongly sweetened with honey—emollient injections— 
and cataplasms of the same nature applied over the loins;— 
these are the means which should be adopted at the commence¬ 
ment of the disease. Some slight purgatives should be added 
to the drinks when the evacuations are rare and the belly corded. 
The sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts) appears to be the pre- 
