THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 193 



Hence it will readily be perceived by what means a diseased 

 condition of a certain organ produces sympathetic disease. Again 

 let it be understood that all vital manifestations in the animal 

 economy, are entirely dependent on the nutritive function; that 

 the properties of all tissues and organs are dependent for their 

 integrity on a supply of perfectly elaborated blood ; that respira- 

 tion, circulation, and secretion cannot go on unless the nervous 

 forces are well balanced ; and that the harmony of that vast and 

 complicated apparatus, known as the nervous system, is in turn 

 dependent for the performance of its legitimate function on nu- 

 trition. Then we can perceive that many diseases, including 

 tetanus, may readily arise from perverted nutrition, and inde- 

 pendently of any external causes. External causes, however, 

 produce the same result, but not so often as people suppose. The 

 reason why we thus labor to change the current of opinion in 

 favor of the sympathetic origin of this malady is, that a more 

 rational system of medication will then follow, and instead of 

 blistering, bleeding, and cauterizing, as recommended by Youatt 

 and others, — tormenting a poor, dumb brute to no purpose, — 

 we may be led to look beyond the imaginary limit, find the real 

 seat of the difficulty, and treat it accordingly. 



Treatment of Tetanus. — The author does not wish the reader 

 to suppose that all cases of tetanus are curable, or that his treat- 

 ment is always successful; there are cases now and then occur- 

 ring which, with the very best veterinary skill, must terminate 

 fatally. Tetanic symptoms sometimes develop themselves in 

 horses of a peculiar diathesis, which opposes rather than contributes 

 to the harmony of the vital forces ; the subjects are not able to 

 bear up against the encroachments, which are continually going 

 on during the long siege of sickness, nor to improve their other- 

 wise unhealthy condition, and, consequently, they sink in spite of 

 our best efforts. Then, again, cases have come under our ob- 

 servation, in some of which the subject's jaws had been locked 

 for two, and even three, days, ere any thing had been done for 

 the animal; some of the owners supposing that the horse had lost 

 his appetite, others that the throat was sore, &:c. ; so that, under 

 such and other circumstances, too numerous to name, yet under- 

 stood by medical men, we cannot expect to be always successful. 

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