228 OBSERVATIONS on tHe TETANUS. 
irritability which occurs in the Tetanus, perhaps their ef- 
feats are more fimply ftimulating. But I will go one ftep 
further. Inorder to cure this diforder, itis neceffary not only 
to produce an ordinary tone in the fyftem, but fomething like 
the inflammatory diathefis. The abfence of this diathefis is 
taken notice of by all authors, particularly by Dr. Cullen*. 
Mercury appears to act only by promoting this diathefis. 
Hence it never does any fervice unlefs it be given time 
enough to produce a falivation. ‘The irritation and in- 
flammation produced in the mouth and throat, feldom fail 
to produce the inflammatory diathefis, as blood drawn in 
a falivation has repeatedly fhewn. 
I apprehend that the oil of amber acts as a ftimulant 
chiefly in this diforder. I have heard of a Tetanus being 
cured in the ifland of Grenada by large dofes of muftard. 
Dr. Wright, lately of the ifland of Jamaica, relates in the 
6th volume of the London Medical Effays, feveral remark- 
able cafes of the Tetanus being cured by the cold bath. 
Both thefe remedies certainly a& as ftimulants and tonics, 
By reafoning 4 priori, I conceive that eleCtricity would be 
found to be an equally powerful remedy in this diforder. 
As a general inflammatory diathefis difpofes to topical 
inflammation, fo topical inflammation difpofes to general 
inflammatory diathefis. Wounds upon this account are 
lefs apt to inflame in fummer than in winter. In the Te- 
tanus I have uniformly obferved an abfence of all inflam- 
mation in the wounds or injuries that produced it. A 
fplinter under the nail produces no convulfions, if pain, 
inflammation and fuppuration follow the accident. It is 
by exciting pain and inflammation I apprehend that the 
fpirit of turpentine ats in all wounds and pundtures of 
nervous and tendinous parts. I have never known a fingle 
inftance of a Tetanus from a wound, where this remedy 
had been applied in time. It was to excite an inflamma- 
tion in the foot of Mr. Leflie, that I dilated the wound 
and 
* Firft Lines, Vol). III. 
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