112 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



patient in the treatment of this disorder, and not discouraged, as 

 we too often are, by the difficulties that occurred. It was gene- 

 rally found necessary to continue the treatment three, foui-, or 

 even five weeks, before the disease was subdued. As a further 

 encourao-ement to future patience and perseverance in the treat- 

 ment of this dangerous disorder, I shall notice a case related by 

 Gibson, from which it appears that not only medicine, but 

 noTU-islnuent also, may be administered in the form of clysters. 

 " The horse was seized rather suddenly with this kind of con- 

 vulsion (locked jaw), which was first observed as he was leading 

 out to water in the afternoon. He came reeling along with his 

 nose turned out, his eyes fixed and immovable, with all the other 

 sio-ns that usually attend this disorder ; and when he came to the 

 troun-h could not reach the water because of the cramp and stifli- 

 ness in his neck, and when it was held to him in a pail he could 

 not drink, though he showed an eagerness for it ; his moutli 

 bcino- shut up so close that it was scarce possible to put a knife 

 between his teeth. We found it impracticable to administer any 

 kind of medicine, til!, by rubbing his cheeks, jaws, temples, and 

 his whole neck for a considerable time, we made a shift, with 

 o-reat difficulty, to thrust down part of a calomel ball on the end 

 of a small stick, and then to pour into his nostrils a very small 

 portion of a strong cephalic drink ; thinking by that means to 

 convey the l)all downward into his stomach, which, however, had 

 but little effect, any further than this, that he had not such sud- 

 den fits and agitations as I have seen in others in the like 

 circumstances, but continued more quiet ; neither did his fever 

 increase, as usually hnppens when the disorder is gaining ground. 

 But all this while his mouth continued so much shut that he 

 could neither eat nor drink for three weeks, only by continually 

 rnbbino- liis jaws and neck, he would sometimes make a shift to 

 suck about a handful of scalded bran, or sometimes a little oat- 

 meal moistened with warm water, but in so small a quantity that 

 it is possible he might have starved, had not other methods been 

 taken to keep him alive. I have often observed that the forcing 

 the jaws open by violent means puts a horse into such agonies 

 that it rather increases than abates the symptoms, and therefore 

 I contrived to give him both his food and physic by the funda- 

 ment, througli a pipe fourteen inches long ; by which he seemed 

 to receive great benefit, for we could perceive the symptoms 

 abate daily. His flanks grew more quiet, he stood more still, 

 and free from sudden fits and startings, all which symptoms are 

 usual in the increase and continuance of this disorder. 



" The clyster was repeated once a day for a fortnight ; and, 

 by way of diet, three or four quarts of milk boiled with oatmeal 

 and water was given every day, a bag with a long pipe being left 

 in the stable for that purpose only. He retained every thing 



