LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
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increased supply of nervous motor foree being distributed to the 
affected muscles. Others agree that the spasmodic contraction of 
stringhalt partakes of a convulsive character. 
Before entering upon a consideration of the manner in whieh 
either of these causes may influence the development of stringhalt, 
I will venture to give as concisely as I can an outline of some of 
the more recently discovered functions of the spinal cord, feeling 
assured that you will derive benefit therefrom, and be better enabled 
to follow me in my attempted application of them to the diseases 
in question. I quote the following propositions from a very inter¬ 
esting essay written by Der Kolk upon the spinal cord : 
“ 1. The several primitive fibres which are distributed as a motor 
nerve to a muscle, or set of muscles, appear to arise from a group . 
of mutually connected ganglionic cells situated in the inferior horn 
of the grey matter of the cord. This group of cells also receives 
fibres of communication derived from the inferior columns of the 
cord, along which the impressions of the will are conveyed from 
the brain to these cells, so that the stimulation of volition is uni¬ 
formly distributed over all the cells of the group, and produces in 
all the motor filaments arising from it a uniform and simultaneous 
action. 
“ 2. Where numerous muscular nerves spring from the spinal 
cord, as for the extremities, more groups of cells whence they arise 
must also be present; hence it is that the inferior horns in the 
lumbar and thoracic bulbs are so much thicker than in the dorsal 
'and more highly situated cervical portions of the cord. 
“3. In animals whose muscular movements are simple the gan¬ 
glionic cells are scanty in proportion to the fewer combinations of 
movements required. 
“4. For the accomplishment of reflex movements, it is assumed 
that the superior root of a spinal nerve (usually considered and, 
indeed, so called sentient) is not necessarily wholly constituted of 
fibres possessing sentient properties, but that a certain portion of 
its filaments are for reflex movements only ; these appear to termi¬ 
nate in a central group of ganglionic nerve-cells, which are more or 
less directly connected with the groups of cells whence issue motor 
filaments. Therefore, as the upper nerve-roots contain both sentient 
and reflex filaments, it is easily explained why they are nearly twice 
as thick as the inferior roots. 
“5. The superior horns of grey matter through which probably 
the several groups of ganglionic cells are mutually connected do not 
appear to serve any purpose of receiving sensations, but seem to 
influence the co-ordination of movements which take place during 
reflex action. Through their connecting filaments the groups of 
motor cells appear to be so united that one stimulus is sufficient to 
excite by reflex action an harmonious movement—for example, taking 
a step. It was considered, and is still believed by some, that 
the cerebellum influences the co-ordination of harmonised move¬ 
ments.” 
Volkman as well as Der Kolk support a beautiful theory re- 
