THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 189 



Two* cases are related also, occurring after strangles; in one of 

 them, however, there existed some gastro-intestinal irritation. 



" D'Arboval informs us, that at a remount, depot for cavalry- 

 established at Bee, (department de L'Eure,) twenty-four horses 

 were castrated on the same day, and afterwards were four times 

 a day made to take a cold bath in w T ater derived from an ex- 

 ceedingly cold spring ; the consequences were, that sixteen out 

 of the twenty-four died of tetanus between the tenth and fifteenth 

 days." 



Sympathetic Tetanus. — This is supposed to arise from irrita- 

 tion, or some derangement of the digestive organs ; we have seen 

 and treated several cases of this character with success ; the chief 

 remedies were, assafcetida combined with mineral tonics, (car- 

 bonate of iron;) stimulants; frictions, with liniment, to the jaws 

 and spine ; injections and fomentations. The worst case of sym- 

 pathetic tetanus we ever treated was that of a ten year old geld- 

 ing. It occurred in the stable of Mr. J. Gilson, West Cambridge 

 Centre, during the latter part of 1852. The animal had, previous 

 to the attack, been noticed as a ravenous feeder; and although he 

 ate enough to support two common horses, his condition was not 

 benefited by it, for he lost considerable flesh; his coat looked 

 bad, and he was the subject of constipation and occasional slimy 

 discharges. This state of things had continued for some time ; 

 when the owner, on going into his stall one morning, to feed, 

 found the animal's jaws locked. We saw him a few hours after- 

 wards, and found the jaws unnaturally fixed, yet not closed with 

 that vice-like tetanic spasm that is seen in some cases of acute 

 tetanus ; the jaws could be opened so as to admit a body the size 

 of a man's finger between the nippers. The eye had the usual 

 appearance, being drawn backwards, and partly covered by the 

 membrane nictitans (haw.) The ears were erected, nostrils ex- 

 panded, and the neck was rigidly extended forwards ; the coun- 

 tenance presented that anxious and distressing look so easily 

 recognized by those who have once seen a case of this character ; 

 the muscles of the back and the recti of the abdomen were the 

 seat of tonic spasm ; the hind limbs were widely separated, and 

 the fore were slightly advanced, being in the most favorable 

 position for affording support to the inflexible body ; the jaws 



