ON STAG-EVIL AND LOCKED JAW. 4I3 

 STAG-EVIL, AND LOCKED JAW. 



This ftag-evil, tetanus, or cramp, is fome- 

 times fo univerfal and lading, that perhaps it 

 ought to be deemed idiopathic convulfion in 

 horfes. As to the locked jaw, or tetanus trif- 

 mus, it is a fymptom or affeftion arifing from 

 fympathy, or confent of parts, generally with a 

 wounded tendon. A year or two fince, a 

 horfe-dealer, driving his chaife near town, his 

 horfe picked up a nail, which penetrated fo 

 deep, that he was inftantly feized with the lock- 

 ed jaw, or in the common phrafe, became jaw- 

 fet. I believe the horfe died in a day or two. 



Gibfon fpeaks as follows of the ftag-evil. 

 He has known horfes clear their racks in the 

 night, and in the morning drink their water, 

 and eat their ufual allowance of corn ; and yet, 

 in lefs than half an hour, have had their mouths 

 clofe (hut up, and their whole bodies con- 

 vulfed. 



" As foon as a horfe is feized in this manner, 

 '* his head is raifed with his nofe towards his 

 rack, his ears prick'd up, and his tail cock'd, 

 looking with an eagernefs as an hungry horfe, 

 when hay is put down to him, or like a high 

 " fpirited horfe when he is put upon his mettle 

 " —his neck grows ftiff, cramped, and almoft 

 *' immoveable ; and if he lives in this condi- 



'•' tion 



a 



