10H CRAMP. 



not only a valuable drug 1 , but. it is that on which alone Dependence can be placed In 

 this disease. It will be borne m doses, from half a drachm to two drachms. 



Blisters are completely ov.t of the question in a disease the very essence of whicfc 

 is nervous irritability. 



The application of sheep-skins warm from the animal, and applied along the whole 

 course of th3 spine, may somewhat unload the congested vessels of the part, and 

 diminish the sufferings of the animal. They should be renewed as soon as ti.e\ 

 become offensive, and the patient should be covered from the poll to the tail with 

 double or treble clothing. 



There is one kind of external application that has not been so much used, or so 

 hip-hjy valued as it deserves, gentle friction with the hand over the course of the 

 spine, beginning with the slightest possible pressure and never increasing it much. 

 The horse is a little frightened at first, but he soon gets reconciled to it, and when 

 at the same time an opiate liniment is used, relief has been obtained to a very marked 

 degree. 



One thing should not be forgotten, namely, that a horse with locked jaw is as 

 hungry as when in health, and every possible contrivance should be adopted to furnish 

 him with that nutriment which will support him under his torture, and possibly enable 

 him to weather the storm. If a pail of good gruel is placed within his reach, how 

 will he nuzzle in it, and contrive to drink some of it too ! If a thoroughly wet mash 

 is placed before him in a pail, he will bury his nose in it, and manage to extract nc 

 small portion of nutriment. By means of a small horn, or a bottle with a very narrow 

 neck, it will often be possible to give him a small quantity of gruel ; but the flexible 

 pipe that accompanies Head's patent pump will render this of easier accomplishment, 

 for the nutriment may be administered without elevating the head of the horse, or 

 inflicting on him the extreme torture which used to accompany the act of drenching. 

 If the jaw is ever so closely clenched, the pipe maybe introduced between the tushes 

 and the grinders, and carried tolerably far back into the mouth, and any quantity of 

 gruel or medicine introduced into the stomach. 



It will also be good practice to let a small portion of food be in the manger. The 

 horse will not at first be able to take up the slightest quantity, but he will attempt to 

 do so. Small portions may be placed between his grinders, and they will presently 

 drop from his mouth, scarcely or at all masticated : but some good will be done 

 there is the attempt to put the muscles of the jaw to their proper use. On the follow- 

 ing day he will succeed a little better, and make some trifling advance towards break- 

 ing the chain of spasmodic action. Experience will teach the careful groom the value 

 ofthese minutiae of practice ; and the successful termination of many a case may be 

 traced to the careful nursing of the patient. 



When the horse is getting decidedly better, and the weather will permit, there can 

 be no better practice than to turn him out for a few hours in the middle of the day, 

 His toddling about will reo-ain to him the use of his limbs ; the attempt to stoop in 

 order to graze will dimmish the spasm in his neck ; the act of grazing will relax tha 

 omscles of the jaws ; and he can have no better food than the fresh grass. 



CRAMP. 



This is a sudden, involuntary and painful spasm of a particular muscle or set of 

 muscles. It differs from tetanus in its shorter duration, and in its occasionally attack 

 ing the muscles of organic life. It may be termed a species of transitory tetanus,, 

 affecting mostly the hind extremities. It is generally observed when the horse is first 

 b rough" out of the stable, and especially if he has been hardly worked. One of the 

 legs appeals stiff, inflexible, and is, to a slight degree, dragged after the animal. 

 After he has proceeded a few steps, the stiffness nearly or quite disappears, or only a 

 slight, degree of lameness remains during the greater part of the day. 



Cramp proceeds from tin accumulation of irritability in the muscles of the exten- 

 sors, and is a sudden spasmodic action of them in order to balance the power whick 

 their antagonists hal e gained over them during the night. 



If a certain degree of lameness remains, the attendant on the horse should endea 

 voui to find out the muscle cl iefly affected, which he may easily do by a feeling of 

 nardness, or an expression of pain, when he presses on the extensors of the hook 



