462 . Tetanus. 



of these animals were inmnmized innnediately after an operation and none of 

 them became ill. Of about 400 animals which were treated 1 to 5 days after 

 an accidental injury only one horse became affected with tetanus, and this one 

 recovered. The 63 veterinarians who carried out the immunization observed tetanus 

 during this same period in 259 animals which had not been given the treatment. 

 Labat in France (703 cases) and Lang in New Caledonia likewise obtained very 

 good results with immunization in localities where the soil was badly infected. 

 Dieudonne failed to observe a single case of tetanus in colts which had been treated 

 with serum after operations for undiilical hernia, whereas 33% of the animals 

 had succumbed previously under similar conditions. Good results are also reported 

 by Xandrin in tetanus of newly liorn foals ; he found however that 5 g. of serum 

 ha<l a toxic action and therefore considers 3 g. as a suital)le dose. 



According to the recent experiences of Dieudonne (in 1,009 cases of castration 

 and abdominal operations), Labat (in about 2,000 clinical operations), and Chapellier 

 (in about iiOO castrations), a single serum injection suffices to accomplish effective 

 results. (Merillat observed the development of fatal tetanus in a horse in spite of 

 the serum injection one week after it had been operated on for a nail puncture 

 of the hoof.) 



The liquid serum keeps at least one year in a dark, cool place, while dry 

 antitoxin keeps much longer. This should be dissolved before using in boiled water. 

 Acconling to Calmette dry antitoxin exerts its protective or curative action (in 

 rabbits) even when it is dusted upon the infected wounds. 



II. Serum Therapy. In animals that are already affected 

 the serum treatment has thus far not been successful. Anhnals 

 in which the subjective symptoms cannot be utilized for the 

 diagnosis of the first stages of the disease, come for treatment 

 as a rule in an advanced stage of the disease, and mostly with 

 symptoms of general intoxication. In such cases the toxin 

 has already flooded the body, and consequently the nervous 

 system is affected to such an extent that even the prevention 

 of further intoxication is no longer able to save the animal. 

 At best the beneficial results can only ])e expected from serum 

 treatment when it is undertaken on the first day of the disease. 



For curative purposes horses should receive subcutaneous injections 

 as near as possible to the place of infection, with at least 100 units of 

 Behring's serum, 50 cc. of Pasteur's serum (or 9,000 American units. 

 Trs.). If possible the injections should be repeated the following day. 



Nocard could not check the progress of the disease in horses even 

 with intravenous injections of immune serum ; not even in those cases 

 when the injection had been undertaken 24 hours before the appearance 

 of the first symptoms. 



In the period of 1897-1903 there were treated with antitoxin in the Prussian 

 army 91 horses, of which .58 (63.7%), died, while in the French army the mortality 

 since the administration of immune serum was reduced from 72.7% in 1897, to 

 57.3% in 1901. In the clinic at Budapest of 7 horses treated with serum 4 died. 

 A favorable result was obtained only when the progress of the disease was slow 

 and the recovery of the animal was probable even without such treatment. Knorr 

 obtained relatively good results in some horses; however he injected 1,000 A.-U., 

 repeating this dose after 1 to 3 days (the treatment of one animal cost $50.00!). 



Later reports of Dieudonne (31 recoveries in 79 cases), Eyder, Hammond, Labat, 

 Eickmann and others, speak more favorably of the value of the serum treatment; 

 all however express the necessity of using large doses repeatedly. Haubold obtained 

 very favorable results in sheep which became affected after shearing, castration, 

 or docking; two doses of 5 cc. of the Pasteur serum were sufficient to produce 

 recovery even in severely affected animals. Douville obtained recovery in four 

 dogs after the injection of 3-5 cc. of serum. 



Eoux & Borrel recommend the intracerebral injection of immune serum. Out 

 of 45 guinea pigs which received four ce. of serum in each hemisphere after the 

 appearance of tetanic symptoms, 35 recovered while of 17 guinea pigs which had 



