LOCKED-JAW.] 



THE HORSE, A.ND 



[locked JAW, 



gripes ; but never saw any good arise from it. 

 Giving the animal a brisk trot for about a 

 quarter of an hour, after either of the following 

 remedies, we have proved to be exceedingly 

 beneficial ; but he should never be made to go 

 faster than the trot. Brushing the belly well 

 ■will be of service ; but never rub it with a 

 Btick, as this tends to bruise the parts, more 

 than to do good. AVe have known the tur- 

 pentine liniment, rubbed well all over the abdo- 

 men, to be a great assistant in removing the 

 spasm. Hot fomentations we do not approve, 

 as the water that may lodge in the hair, when it 

 becomes cold, will frustrate all good intentions. 

 As internal remedies, either of the following 

 will be found very efficacious in removing the 

 disease : — 



No.l. 



Ground Black Pepper . . . | oz. 



Tincture of Opium . . . 1 do. 



Good Ale (warmed) ... 1 pint. 



No. 2. 



Common Gin ^ pint. 



Tincture of Opium . . . . 2 oz. 



Good Ale (warmed) ... 1 pint. 



Tf costiveness should be present, give — 



No. 3. 



Oil of Peppermint .... 2 drachms. 



Castor Oil 6 oz. 



Tincture of Aloes . . . . 4 do. 



Should the costiveness continue, the horse 

 must be back-raked, and warm clysters ad- 

 ministered, with a handful of salt thrown in 

 each, about three quarts at a time, until the 

 bowels are relieved. Should other means of 

 assistance not be ready at hand, give the fol- 

 lowing. — 



Ground Black Pepper . 1 teaspoonful. 



Common Gin , . . -^ pint. 



Good warm Ale ... 1 do. 

 Should the disease continue longer than may 

 have been expected, repeat the remedies until 

 relief is obtained. If the clysters should not 

 have the desired effect, take a large onion, 

 peel, and quarter it, and pass it up the 

 rectum, which will speedily stimulate it to 

 action. 



TETANUS, OR LOCKED-JAW. 



Tetanus, or Locked-jaw, is a violent spasmodic 

 contraction of the muscles, coming on in the 

 elevation of the lower jaw, and extending, 



284 



more or less, to all the muscles destined to 

 perform voluntary motion. This disorder, 

 which may be excited by different causes, is 

 much more common in hot climates than in 

 tempefate. However, it too frequently occurs 

 in this country, and happens to be one of 

 great difficulty to cure, especially in conse- 

 quence of wounds ; and more particularly after 

 injuries of tendons and ligamentous parts. 

 It is one of the most fatal symptoms which 

 can possibly arise in these cases, and there- 

 fore demands the most assiduous attention of 

 the veterinary surgeon. 



Tetanic complaints generally affect middle- 

 aged, or old horses, more frequently than young 

 ones. The causes producing them are cold 

 and moisture applied to the body while it is 

 very warm ; and sudden vicissitudes of heat 

 and cold ; or they may be produced by punc- 

 tures, lacerations, or other lesions of nerves in 

 any part of the body. There are, probably, 

 some other causes of this disease ; but they 

 are neither distinctly known, nor well under- 

 stood. If the disease proceeds from cold, it 

 commonly comes on in a few days after this 

 being taken ; but if it arise from puncture, 

 or other lesion of a nerve, the disease does not 

 come on for many days after the lesion has 

 happened — very often, when there is neither 

 pain nor uneasiness remaining in the wounded 

 part ; and very frequently when the wounded 

 part has been entirely healed up. The disease 

 sometimes attacks suddenly, with great vio- 

 lence; but, more generally, it makes its ap- 

 proaches by slow degrees to the violent stage. 

 In this case it comes on with a sense of stiff- 

 ness in the muscles of the neck, which, gradu- 

 ally increasing, renders the motion of the head 

 difficult and painful. The haw of the eye, 

 also, will be seen protruding, on the least 

 motion of the hand being raised towards the 

 head. 



As the rigidity of the neck increases, there 

 is commonly, at the same time, a sense of un- 

 easiness felt about the root of the tongue, 

 which, by degrees, causes a difficulty in, and, 

 at length, an entire interruption of swallowing. 

 Willie the rigidity of the neck goes on in- 

 creasing, there arises a pain, often violent, at 

 the lower end of the back, which makes the 

 tail stick out with a quivering motion. When 

 this pain arises, all the muscles of the neck. 



