66 MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 



atmosphere or a badly ventilated stable produce or predispose heaves. 

 Horses brought from a high to a low level are predisposed. When 

 the disease is established there is no cure for it. 



Proper attention paid to the diet will relieve the distressing symp- 

 toms to a certain extent, but they will undoubtedly reappear intensified 

 the first time the animal overloads the stomach or is allowed food 

 of poor quality. Clover hay or bulky feed which contains but little 

 nutriment is a common cause of the disease, and therefore should be 

 entirely omitted from the diet. It has been asserted that the disease 

 is unknown where clover hay is never used. The diet should be con- 

 fined to feed of the best quality and in the smallest quantity. The bad 

 effect of moldy or dusty hay, fodder, or feed of any kind can not be 

 overestimated. A small quantity of the best hay once a day is suf- 

 ficient. This should be cut and dampened. The animal should be 

 watered before feeding; never directly after a meal. Exertion when 

 the stomach is full invariably aggravates the symptoms. 



MENINGITIS, CEREBRITIS 



Exposure to extreme heat or cold, sudden and extreme changes of 

 temperature, excessive continued cerebral excitement, too much nitro- 

 genous feed, direct injuries to the brain, such as concussion, or from 

 fracture of the cranium, overexertion, sometimes sequel to influenza, 

 pyemia, poisons having a direct influence upon the encephalic mass, 

 extension of inflammation from neighboring structures, food poison- 

 ing, tumors, parasites, metastatic abscesses, etc. 



TETANUS, OR LOCKJAW 



The disease is characterized by spasms afl^ecting the muscles of 

 the face, neck, body, and limbs and all muscles supplied by the cerebro- 

 spinal nervous system. The spasms or muscular contractions are 

 rigid and persistent, yet mixed with occasional convulsions. 



This disease is caused by a bacillus that is often found in dust. This 

 germ forms spores which grow only in the absence of oxygen. It 

 produces a powerful nerve poison, which causes the symptoms of 

 tetanus. The germ itself multiplies at the first point where it is intro- 

 duced, but its poison is absorbed and is carried by the blood to all 

 parts of the body, and thus the whole nervous system is poisoned. 

 Deep wounds infected by this germ are more dangerous than super- 

 ficial wounds, because in them the germ is more remote from the oxy- 

 gen of the air. Hence, nail pricks, etc., are especially dangerous. 

 In the majority of instances the cause of tetanus can be traced to 

 wounds, especially pricks and wounds of the feet or of the tendinous 

 structures. It sometimes follows castration, docking, the introduc- 

 tion of setons, inclusion of a nerve in a ligature, etc. It may break 

 out three or four months after the wound is healed. Horses with a ner- 

 vous, excitable disposition are predisposed to infection. 



