PALSY IN THE HORSE. 
667 
the sensibility of the part, and the sensibility generally, gradu¬ 
ally subsides—it gets below the usual standard—it ceases 
altogether. There are none of those sudden suspensions of 
feeling and voluntary motion which are recorded of the human 
patient, because it is not so often an affair of the head : it is 
the result of spinal disease or injury—it originates in inflam¬ 
mation of the spine or its membranes, whatever be the cause of 
that inflammation ; and it is ushered in by fever and excruciating 
pain. When the pain which accompanies the first attack has 
passed over, the animal, wdth the exception of his powerless 
limbs, appears for a while—a time of very uncertain duration— 
in the full possession of all his senses, and eats and drinks as 
usual. I have seen colts, in whom there has been rheumatism 
or affection of the joints resembling, or running on to, palsy, 
preserving their full appetite, and all their gaiety, and ex¬ 
pressing, as plainly as they could do, their desire to gambol 
about with their companions. 
Post-mortem Appearances .—In almost every case, and usually 
about the lumbar region, there is inflammation of the mem¬ 
branes of the chord, or of the chord itself. The membranes 
are highly injected, or gorged with blood, or thickened, or with 
serous infiltration between them, or with their surfaces covered 
w'ith minute concretions. The medullary matter is of a yellow 
colour, or, on being cut into with a keen scalpel, minute points 
of blood follow' the knife; or, and in proportion as the sensitive 
system has or has not been involved, the whole of the spinal 
chord at that part will be softened—semifluid; or the inferior 
columns (the anterior ones in the human being) will be softened, 
while the superior ones will be unaffected. 
Prognosis. —Well, gentlemen, you will have to do with a 
very serious complaint here, and, in the majority of cases, the 
termination will be fatal. You will anxiously endeavour to ascer¬ 
tain the cause. Is there any fracture or dislocation of the spine? 
if so, you have no pow'er to reduce the one or the other—and the 
sooner you terminate the sufl'erings of the patient the better. Is 
the cause unknown, or can you connect it with extra-exertion, or 
exposure to cold ?—are you assured that it is not the winding up an 
old spinal affection?—proceed to adopt the proper measures of cure, 
but let your prognosis always be guarded—always unfavourable. 
Treatment .—Always commence with bleeding. There has 
been or there is inflammation, and that of an intense character, 
and threatening fatal lesions of the part affected. Bleed, as my 
advice in inflammatory cases has always been, until the circu¬ 
lation is evidently affected—until the pulse begins to falter, or 
the horse to stagger, or to blow. Then /n/rge—give the usual 
