132 DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



cord. Good care is very necessary. Not many cases of this dis- 

 ease will get well. 



LOCKJAW TETANUS. 



This disease is commonly known as lockjaw, but Tetanus is a 

 better name, as in many cases the jaws are not set. It is a very 

 fatal disease of the horse, as very few severe cases ever recover. 



Causes. It was until recently supposed to be caused by some 

 injury or lesion of the nervous system, but now it is known to be 

 caused by a specific microbe (bacillus of Nicholaier), which must 

 gain access to the animal's body before the disease can be pro- 

 duced. This microbe, or bacillus, is found in many soils, barn- 

 yard manure, filth, dirt, on rusty nails, partly-masticated food, 

 etc. When this microbe once gets into the system it produces a 

 toxine (poison), which acts like strychnine on the spinal cord, 

 producing the tonic muscular spasms which are always seen in 

 lockjaw. The disease is more often seen following a nail in the 

 foot or any sore or wound in the foot, through which the mi- 

 crobe gains access to the system. It may follow any wound or 

 operation in any part of the body, or may come on without any 

 wound or sore being present. 



Symptoms. The disease may set in twenty-four hours after 

 the microbes get into the animal's body, or it may be from eight 

 to fourteen days. After once seen, the disease is generally easily 

 detected. At first there is more or less stiffness, slight elevation 

 of the tail and poking out of the nose. When you excite the ani- 

 mal, these tonic muscular spasms are plainly seen, as well as the 

 haw flashing over the eye. The jaws may or may not be set, but 

 as a general thing they are set. The haw flashing over the eye, 

 due to nervous spasms, is a never failing symptom of tetanus. 



