173 
ON THE DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CHORD. 
ferable aperient; and it may be given under these circumstances, 
in doses from four ounces to a pound, without the least danger. 
Revulsives applied to the thighs are also indicated; but they 
ought not to be employed until twenty-four or thirty-six hours 
after the appearance ol the first symptoms : if they are used be¬ 
fore this, they are apt to increase the irritation, and do more 
harm than good. 
The success of the treatment depends principally on the 
bleedings ; the other means can only be considered as acces¬ 
sories. ° For the bleedings to produce good effect, it is ne¬ 
cessary that they should be made in time, that is to say, at the 
beginning of the disease. We cannot be too prompt in the 
treatment of this malady, for the least delay may become ex¬ 
tremely prejudicial to the animal. 
On the second or third day, these maladies ordinarily take a 
favourable or unfavourable turn : when, at this period, the 
symptoms increase in intensity, we may expect a fatal issue ; 
while, on the contrary, we may encourage some hope of success, 
if a slight amelioration is observed in the general state of the 
patient'; and especially if sensibility and the power of motion 
seem to be reappearing in the paralyzed limbs. 
The horses which do not succumb under the progress of spinal 
inflammation, and we have said that they are very few, pass 
through a period of convalescence exceedingly various in length. 
Most of them retain for a long time, in the hind quarters, a con¬ 
siderable degree of weakness, which is sometimes confined to 
one limb. We employ dry and spirituous fnctions, and 
strengthening charges, with considerable success in these cases. 
Gentle exercise is also a very useful auxiliary. 
Not willing to leave any doubt as to the advantages that may 
be derived from this mode of treatment in some cases, although 
very few, I will introduce some records of paraplegia in 
the horse being successfully treated in this way. Most of 
the facts occurred in my own practice ; some, however, have 
been communicated to me. 
CASE I. 
On the 12th of February, 1823, I was desired to attend an 
aged, entire, bay horse, which, returning from his work six hours 
before, had fallen upon his litter, from which it seemed impos¬ 
sible to raise him. The animal fed well, and seemed to suffer 
little ; the pulse was full, regular, and slightly accelerated : from 
time to time the fore limbs were violently agitated ; their sensi¬ 
bility was almost gone ; in a word, the horse presented symp¬ 
toms of the most perfect paraplegia. I ordered two bleedings, 
