The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-25
Paralysis, or Palsy.


BY this we understand q condition in
which there is loss of muscular power
from the arrest of nervous influence:
and IN which the muscles themselves
continue unlmpaired, but wholly or
partially cease to be strong and moved
ny the nervous energy. The paralysis
OF the whole system, or what is gener-
ally called, palsy, seems never to occur
in the horse; and the paralysis of the
whole of one side. or what is called
hemiplegia, seems to be comparatively
rare; but the paralysis of both sides of
the hinder extremity, or what is called
paraplegla, is somewhat frequent, and
occasionally very stubborn and severe,
When hemlplegia occurs it is compare.
lively mild; but, if not cured, it usually
passes into paraplega. A palsy -struok
horse Is commonly affected first in one
or both hindlegs, walks on his fetlocks,
Is scarcely able to move forward, stag
gers Mt every step, and eventually falls.
His disease is essentially iDfammatory,
and may generally be traced to fall,
to over-worklng, to exposure to cold
and wet while covered with prespira-
ton, to some injury in the head, or to
tho effects or mismanagement of stag
gers. The remedies are blister1nR or
mustard poulticing, warm clothing,
mash diet, frequent injections, and the
administration Of sedatives or tonics:
according to circumstances and the
cause or causes. a numbness of tho
hmDs sometimes arises from ordinary
prolonged exposure to cold, wet wealth.
or, but this must not be confounded
with palsy, and needs no special treat
ment, but 1t will soon go off in tho
stable or other comparatively snug
SITUATION. Paralysis of the sphincter
muscle or neck Of the bladder is some
times induced by riding horse hard
ana not giving him time to stale; and
this causes constant dribbling of the
urlne, and is often styled, with refer-
ence to the mere effect, to the exclusion
OF reference to the cause, incontinence
of urine.
Palsy in cattle is sometimes very COM
mon, ana at times may assume the al-
Pearance OF All epizootic, and has been
known TO attack numbers of animals in
certain districts. It generally has the
form OF paraplegla, but occasionally at
taoks the fore legs as we'll as the hind
ones, and Is usually slow in its progress
in nero debility, increas-
ing into stiffness and awkwardness of
motlon, and terminating in total loss of
the power OF limb. The most frequent
causes OF 1t arc turning cattle out too
eariy III the year to grass. depasturing
on low. marshy, cold situations. driving
out hard' driven COWS to search for food
during cold nights, and stewinc up cat-
tie III damp, ill-ventilated, iIl-kept,
h!thy barns and sheds. The chief rem.
edies for it arc comfortable houa;no
profusion OF clean litter, loosening med
alllfs III PGuGf Gf99B'l]eeigatiQ 9B'l]eeig,
OF stimulating ini1nent, and perhaps
the internal administration of nux vomica
and strychnine, in small and repeated
doses.
Palsy in sheep and lambs sometimes
affects every limb, and sometimes af-
fects only the loins, 1t most frequently
attacks lambs, but also attacks sheep of
ali nRes-and parturition ewes that
have aborted or have had tedious and
difficult particulars. Some young lambs,
when attacked by it, die the very night
OF the attack, and others lose all power
IN their hind legs; and seldom recover
sufficiently from the effects OF it to bo-
come large and vigorous sheep. The
principal causes OF it arc severe weather,
excessive nutriment, sudden change of
food, and pressure on the brain from
the presence of hydatids. The cure for
1t III all cases, except when it arises from
hydatid pressure, is strictly similar to
the cure tor it in cattle; and any possi-
blllty OF cure in hydatidal cases must
necessarily be contingent on tho previ-
GUS reduction OF tho exciting cause.-the
removal of the tape-worm cyst if it's
location is such that it can be reached
with proper intruments. Numbness or
rheumatism arising from exposure to
severe frost has no necessary connec-
ton with palsy, and may generally be
removed by very simple and obvious
remedies.