106 CRAMP. 



not only a valualjle drug', but it is that on which alone dependence can be placed in 

 this disease. It will be borne in doses, from half a drachm to two drachms. 



Blisters are completely out of the question in a disease the very essence of whicr. 

 is nervous irritability. 



The application of sheep-skins warm from the animal, and applied along the whole 

 course of the spine, may somewhat unload the congested vessels of the part, and 

 diminish the sutferings of the animal. Tliey should be renewed as soon as they 

 become oflensive, and the patient should be covered from the poll to the tuil with 

 double or treble clothing. 



There is one kind of external application that has not been so much used, or so 

 highly valued as it deserves, — gentle friction with the hand over the course of the 

 spine, beginning with the slightest possible pressure and never increasing it much. 

 The horse is a little frighiened at first, but he soon gets reconciled to it, and when 

 at the same time an opiate liniment is used, relief has been obtained to a very m-.irked 

 degree. 



One thing should not be forgotten, namely, that a horse with locked jaw is as 

 hungry as when in health, and every possible contrivance should be adopted to I'urnish 

 him with that nutriment which will support him under his torture, and possibly enable 

 him to weatlier the storm. If a pail of good gruel is placed within his reach, how 

 will he nuzzle in it, and contrive to drink some of it too ! If a thoroughly wet mash 

 is placed before him in a pail, he will bury his nose in it, and manage to extract no 

 small portion of nutriment. By means of a small horn, or a bottle with a very narrow 

 neck, it will often be possible to give him a small quantity of gruel ; but the flexible 

 pipe that accompanies Head's patent pump will render this of easier accomplishment, 

 for the nutriment may be administered without elevating the head of the horse, or 

 inflicting on him the extreme torture which used to accompany the act of drenching. 

 If the jaw is ever so closely clenched, the pipe maybe introduced between the tushes 

 and the grinders, and carried tolerably far back into the mouth, and any quantity of 

 gruel or medicine introduced into the stomach. 



It will also be good practice to let a small portion of food be in the manger. The 

 horse will not at first be able to take up the slightest quantity, but he will attempt to 

 do so. Small portions may be placed between his grinders, and they will presently 

 drop from his mouth, scarcely or at all masticated : hut some good will be done — 

 there is the attempt to put the muscles of the jaw to their proper use. On the follow- 

 ing day he will succeed a little better, and make some trifling advance towards break- 

 ing the chain of spasmodic action. Experience will teach tlie careful groom the value 

 of these minutise of practice; and the successful termination of many a case may be 

 traced to tlie careful nursing of the patient. 



When the horse is getting decidedly better, and the weather will permit, there can 

 be no better practice tlian to turn him out for a few hours in the middle of the day. 

 His toddling about will regain to him the use of his limbs ; the attempt to stoop in 

 order to graze will diminish the spasm in his neck ; tlie act of grazing will relax the 

 muscles of the jaws ; and he can have no better food than the fresh grass. 



CRAMP. 



This is a sudden, involuntary and painful spasm of a particular muscle or set of 

 muscles. It dilTers from tetanus in its shorter duration, and in its occasionally attack- 

 ing the muscles of organic life. It may be termed a species of transitorv tetanus, 

 affecting mostly the hind extremities. It is generally observed when the horse is first 

 brought out of the stable, and especially if he lias been hardly worked. One of the 

 legs appears stiif, inflexible, and is, to a slight degree, dragged after the animal. 

 After he has jiroceeded a few steps, the stiffness nearly or quite disappears, or only a 

 slight degree of lameness remains during the gTeater part of the day. 



Cramp proceeds from an accumulation of irritability in the muscles of the exten- 

 sors, and is a sudden spasmodic action of them in order to balance the power whicV 

 their antagonists have gained over them during the niffht. 



If a certain degree of lameness remains, the attendant on the horse sliouhl eiulea- 

 vour to find out the muscle cliiefly affi-cted, which he may easily do by a feelinij of 

 hardness, or an expression of jjain, when he presses on the extensors of the hock 



