LOCKED-JAW. 471 



other of these causes. This latter is most especially the 

 case when cattle are fed upon turnips. There has been 

 invented by Mr. Alexander, a farmer of Tweedale, a useful 

 instrument, called a probang, for pushing down the food 

 when it sticks in the throat, which can be had of all 

 instrument-makers who deal in implements for the use of 

 farmers. But where farmers or others do not possess this 

 instrument, a substitute may be made in the following 

 manner. 



Three small canes of about five and a half or six feet 

 long, are firmly bound together by waxed twine, rolled closely 

 round its whole length. To the extremity of the canes is 

 attached an elongated knob, made of shammy leather, 

 stuffed with tow, and having a cup- shaped extremity. 

 This knob must be firmly attached, by having long thongs 

 proceeding from the edges of the leather, and firmly welted 

 down by the enveloping twine. See plate x, fig. 19. The 

 purpose of the cup-shaped extremity is to make certain of 

 pushing forward the obstructing food, which but for this ter- 

 mination might slip past it. Great care must be taken that 

 the knob is properly attached, as, should it come off, it 

 must ever remain in the stomach, an undigestible incum- 

 brance, which is certain to create disease The cup-shaped 

 termination should be formed of tin, with a number of holes 

 in it to permit of the leather being sown to it. See plate x. 

 ^g. 20. Whalebone, if sufiiciently long, is preferable to 

 cane, as being much more elastic. 



LOCKED-JAW. 



Symptoms. — Tetanus or locked-jaw is at once distinguished 

 by the animal being incapable of moving his jaw or of open- 

 ing his mouth for the reception of food. It consists of a 

 spasmodic contraction of the tendons by which the jaw is 



