90 PEACTICE OF EQUINE MEDICINE. 



vated and carried to one side, the hind legs more or less stiffened 

 and wide apart (a straddling gait), and in severe cases the anterior 

 extremities are separated. In moving, the body is not flexed, the 

 animal moving as though he was made of one piece. 



There is difficulty in backing, the horse appears nervous, ex- 

 citable, and when you move him around quickly or elevate the head 

 the membrana nictitans is thrown over tlie eye. 



Trismus is often present, the teeth become set, and you cannot 

 introduce your finger or even a blade of a knife between them (hence 

 it is called lock-jaio). In mild cases this symptom is not pronounced. 



In the severe form there is a discharge of saliva; the voluntary 

 muscles are hard to the feel, especially those of the neck. 



The pulse, in mild cases, is not much altered, but in severe 

 cases there is an increase in the frequency. 



The temperature is peculiar; this is a non-febrile disease, but 

 it often has a high temperature — 105° or 106° F., and just before 

 death it runs up to 110° or 113° F., or in some cases Just after death. 



How is the diagnosis made ? 



There ought not to be any trouble in making a diagnosis. 

 When you have seen one of these cases, you have seen all. 



The position of the body, the tail, and the manner of locomo- 

 tion, and the membrana, nictitans being thrown over the eye on the 

 slightest movement. 



In the human subject there are certain positions of the patient. 



The ordinary position in man is where he rests on his occiput 

 and heels, the back being curved. This position is known as opis- 

 thotonos. 



The entire trunk and limbs may be perfectly rigid — orthotonos. 

 Where the body is bent to one side it is called pleurosthotonos. When 

 the back is arched and the body bent forward — emprosthotonos. 



What is the duration and the prognosis ? 



This disease may kill quickly, in several hours or four or live 

 days, or in other cases it may run three or four weeks, and you 

 think they ought to get well, when they become exhausted, fall 

 down, and, by some excitement, death results. 



The appearance of the animal, anxious expression, eyes drawn 

 in their sockets, nostrils dilated, furrowing of the skin of the face, 

 saliva from the mouth, inability to open the jaw, body covered 

 with perspiration. 



