LOCKED-JAW. 151 



when locked-jaw takes place, as it sometimes does, without 

 any injury or assignable cause, it is called idiopathio 

 locked-jaw. Locked-jaw may be defined a spasmodic 

 contraction of the muscles of the body, often confined to 

 one set of muscles alone. I have in practice seen the 

 same contraction in one set of muscles of the body, and the 

 muscles of the jaw free from the cramps and not fixed at 

 all, and depending upon the same causes that often produce 

 fixedness of the ja^v. Locked-jaw is sometimes confined to 

 the muscles of the neck, and is then called bnsmus. 



Symptoms. The symptoms accompanying locked-jaw in 

 the horse are so well known to everybody, that little need 

 be said by me about them further than that there is general 

 Btiffness and fixedness in the manner of standing, and a 

 peculiar expression of countenance. The extended and 

 dilated nostril, and the fixed ear, tell the fact, very plainly, 

 that the muscles of the head and neck are beyond the 

 control of the animal, else his jaw or mouth would not be 

 kept closed. 



Treatment Remove the painfully-stricken animal into a 

 place by himself, where he will have plenty of air, and no 

 sound or sight to disturb him, and where no curious idler 

 can enter. Place a bucket of cold, thin gruel where the 

 horse can get at it, without an eifort to himself to reach it. 

 This is all the feed he will be likely enabled to take for a 

 period of from three to sixteen days. Renew it once a day, 

 and keep it sweet. He may be able to suck this through 

 his teeth. Small, choice morsels of other food should also 

 be placed within his reach, so as no opportunity be lost 

 whereby his stomach may be filled, and his overtaxed 

 strength be supported. 



In securing the gruel or other feed, have everything at 

 hand, so that only one journey will be necessary, in the 



