TETANUS. 325 



stance, but in a day or two it becomes accelerated, and the 

 artery becomes firm, hard, and incompressible. In very 

 acute cases, however, the pulse may become much accelerated 

 in the very early stages. 



The temperature rises considerably in some very severe 

 cases ; generally, however, it is not markedly high. 



The bowels are usually constipated, and the bladder be- 

 comes contracted. 



During the course of the disease there are periods of 

 calm alternating with violent paroxysms. 



These latter are easily induced by any sudden disturb- 

 ance of the patient by loud noises, or by sudden flashes of 

 light into the darkened box. Quietude tends to subdue 

 the paroxysms in a corresponding degree. 



During their continuance the breathing becomes more 

 accelerated and difficult, and the surface of the body is 

 bedewed with perspiration ; the nostrils are dilated, and 

 the nose protruded. 



Course and Prognosis. — The duration of tetanus varies 

 very markedly. Some of the most severe cases have been 

 known to run their entire course in less than forty-eight 

 hours. 



In other instances, the animal may live two or three 

 weeks, and then succumb at the end of that period. 



As a rule, tetanus runs a more rapid course in thorough- 

 bred horses than in animals of coarser breed, and appears 

 to be of a more active type in excitable horses than in 

 animals less sensitive to external agencies. 



In the horse it usually assumes an acute or sub-acute 

 form. 



When the disease does not prove fatal, the tetanic con- 

 dition declines slowly, lasting from three to five weeks or so."^ 



* In a case quite recently under our notice, the muscles of the near 

 side of the neck of a young pony continued in a state of contraction for 



