37o Veterinary lectures 



idiopathic tetanus ; the other, arising from a wound with an external 

 opening, was termed traumatic tetanus. Now, when no wound can 

 be observed, it is supposed that the bacillus finds its way into some 

 lesion in the lining membrane of the alimentary tract, where it can 

 establish its action. 



615. Tetanus commonly follows wounds in the extremities, 

 particularly punctured wounds in the feet (the majority of my cases 

 have resulted from these). At times it also supervenes on opera- 

 tions, such as castration, docking, etc., no matter how skilfully they 

 may be performed. Experimental microscopists tell us that the 

 disease-producing germ is found in garden mould, and that tetanus 

 can be produced by inoculation with such soil. This appears to me 

 to be a strange conclusion, as it is a very common practice of mine, 

 on seeing a wound showing signs of healing, to leave it exposed to 

 the action of the air, and to order fine dry soil to be dusted over the 

 raw surface. The soil I find to be a good absorbent and deodorizer, 

 and, as a rule, the wound heals quickly. I cannot call to mind a 

 single case of tetanus following this treatment. There, however, 

 must be something either in the air, surface soil, or temperature, to 

 account for this disease, as, during a period of fifty years, only one 

 case of tetanus in the horse at the bottom of one of the many coal- 

 mines visited has come under my own observation ; yet, as a rule, 

 the principal portion of the cases met with in the pit-bottom are 

 wounds in the feet. 



616. There are three terms used to designate the varieties of 

 tetanus, viz.: (1) Opisthotonos — when the head is pulled upwards 

 and backwards, and the tail is raised by the tense contraction of the 

 muscles of the back ; (2) emprosthotonos — when the head is 

 depressed and pulled down ; and (3) pleurosthotonos — when the 

 head is drawn to one side. The first form is mostly observed in the 

 horse, but the last two I have never seen in the horse, though I have 

 noticed them in the human subject. 



617. Tetanus generally makes itself manifest from about the sixth 

 to the tenth day after an accident or operation, just when the wound 



