66G 
MR. YOUATT S VETERINARY LECTURES. 
of the spine oftenest exhibit those lesions which are connected 
with, or the cause of palsy, because there are some of the most 
violent muscular efforts—there is the greatest movement and the 
least support. Many other causes of palsy are assigned as it re¬ 
gards other animals ; but it may be taken as an axiom to regu¬ 
late our practice, that in the horse it almost invariably proceeds 
from disease or injury of the spine. 
Palsy referrihle to Lesion of the Spine .—If you inquire into the 
history of the cases that come before you, you find that the horse 
had fallen, and rose paralytic—or that he had fallen and had 
been much shook a few days before—or he is seized in the midst 
of his work, and when his energies have been too cruelly taxed— 
or he had been worked exceedingly hard a few days before, and 
there had been some dead pulls, or a very heavy load—or the 
pace was greater than usual—or, covered with perspiration, the 
horse had been left exposed to the cold and wet. 
I am speaking of the cases as they generally occur. Accounts 
are given us, and particularly by the French writers, of excep¬ 
tions to this. Palsy has been produced by, or supposed to be 
connected with aneurism of the posterior aorta, excessive bleed¬ 
ing, inversion of the rectum, intestinal irritation, lesion of the 
muscles of the thigh, fracture of the scapula. Of the actual 
connexion of palsy with some of these there may be considera¬ 
ble doubt, and others are plainly referrihle to the principles for 
which I am contending. I know, also, that colts of one or two 
years, neglected, exposed, feeding on low marshy ground, and 
others at the period of weaning, especially if the mother has 
been ill-fed, are subject to attacks much resembling palsy, or, in 
fact, in some cases, true palsy; but we shall see, in the dog, the 
connexion between intestinal irritation and palsy of the hinder 
extremities, and evidently to be traced, not to the brain, but 
sympathetic affection of the spinal chord. 
Symptoms .—Generally speaking, there are few precursor symp¬ 
toms. On the previous day the horse is apparently well: he 
is found on the followins: raornino^, or soon after some severe ac- 
cident, dreadfully lame; in great pain ; and shifting his weight 
from one limb to another. In some cases there may be previous 
fever, heaving, illness which can scarcely be referred to any* parti¬ 
cular part, or derived from any particular cause. Very shortly, 
however, the mischief can be traced to one leg; perhaps both are 
equally affected : the animal can scarcely walk; he walks on his 
fetlocks instead of his soles; he staggers at every motion; he 
hurries along to prevent himself from falling; at length he falls; 
he is raised with difficulty, or he never rises again. 
The sensibility seems for awhile to be very much increased, but 
