Looked Jaw. 167 



The ears are erect, pointed forward, and immovable ; 

 if the horse is spoken to, or threatened to be struck, they 

 change not their position. The nostril is expanded to the 

 utmost. The respiration is usually accelerated, yet not 

 always so ; but it is uniformly laborious. The pulse gives 

 little indication of the severity of the disease. It is some- 

 times scarcely affected. After a while, however, the heart 

 begins to sympathize with the general excitation of the 

 system, and the pulse increases in frequency and force un- 

 til the animal becomes debilitated, when it beats yet quick- 

 er and quicker, but diminishes in power, and gradually 

 flutters and dies away. 



The countenance is eager, anxious, haggard, and tells 

 plainly enough what the animal suffers. 



The stiffness gradually extends to the back. If the 

 horse is in a narrow stall, it is impossible to turn him ; 

 and, even with room and scope enough, he turns alto- 

 gether like a deal-board. 



The extremities begin to participate in the spasm — hind- 

 er ones generally first. The horse stands with his hind- 

 legs straddling apart in a singular way. The fore-limbs 

 have a singular appearance; they are as stiff as they can 

 possibly be, but stretched forward and straddling. 



There is a degree of " hide-bound" appearance, and of 

 tucking up of the belly, which is seen under no other 

 complaint. The tail becomes in constant motion. 



Constipation, and to an almost insurmountable degree, 

 now appears. The abdominal muscles are so powerfully 

 contracted, that no portion of .the contents of the abdo- 

 men can pass on and be discharged. 



By degrees the spasm extends and becomes everywhere 

 more violent. The motion of the whole frame is lost, and 

 the horse stands fixed in the unnatural posture which he 

 has assumed. The countenance becomes wilder and more 

 haggard — its expression can never be affaced from the 

 memory of him who cares about the feelings of a brute. 



Treatment. — The object is to abate the spasm. For this 

 purpose, opium will be the most efficient remedy. It will 

 be borne in doses of from half a drachm to two drachms 



