672 INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



difficult. At the worst some hesitation may be felt at first, the 

 condition being mistaken for disease of the brain. 



The prognosis is extremely grave. 



The treatment is, above all, of a preventive nature, investigation 

 having proved that injections of anti^tetanic serum, before the first 

 appearance of tetanus, are invariably effectual. 



If, therefore, one case of tetanus appears in a byre at calving time 

 or in a flock at the season when the lambs are castrated, no hesitation 

 should be felt in preventively inoculating all the castrated animals and 

 the cows which have calved. The quantities required are, for a cow 

 10 cc. (about 3 fluid drachms) and for a sheep 5 cc. of anti-tetanic 

 serum. 



This treatment, however, should be supplemented by general 

 hygienic precautions and internal treatment, such as irrigation and 

 disinfection of the parts affected. 



Curative treatment has little chance of success. Experiments have 

 also proved that when the first symptoms of tetanus appear, anti-tetanic 

 serum is powerless to prevent the development of the disease. Never- 

 theless, as its gravity is in direct ratio to the quantity of toxin absorbed, 

 and as the degree of this absorption depends on the length of time that 

 the place remains infected, the first thing to be done is to disinfect 

 and, in certain cases, curette the wounds which are believed to be the 

 source of mischief. Although antiseptics have little action on Nico- 

 laier's bacillus, they may be used. Solutions of iodine appear most 

 active, both as regards ordinary wounds and infection of the uterus. 



General tonics, diuretics, and lukewarm gruels can be given. Un- 

 fortunately the patients are often unable to swallow them. In such 

 cases both liquids and medicines may be directly introduced into the 

 rumen by puncturing the parts with a trocar and canula, the latter 

 being left in position. 



Intravenous injections of large quantities of normal salt solution 

 are also of considerable value, 4 to 6 quarts per day for an ox 

 and 20 to 40 fluid ounces per day for a sheep. 



ACTINOMYCOSIS. 



Actinomycosis is a disease produced by a fungus belonging to the 

 'group of oomycetes {Actinomyces hovis) which develops in the depths 

 of living tissues in man and the ox, producing grave and sometimes 

 incurable lesions, most commonly in and about the jaws. 



Actinomycosis is very common in America, and is also met with 

 in all parts of Europe. 



Symptoms. The disease assumes many different clinical forms, but 



