198 TETANUS. 



liniment, and balls of tonic and purging medicine to be given twice in the 

 day. The dog gradually recovered, and was dismissed cured on the 20th. 



On the 1 6th November, in the same year, a bull-terrier had a similar 

 complaint. He had been tried in the pit a fortnight before, and severely 

 injured, and the pain and stiffness of his joints were increasing. The head 

 was now permanently drawn on one side. The dog was unable to stand 

 even for a moment, and the eyes were in a state of spasmodic motion. He 

 was a most savage brute ; but I attempted to manage him, and, by the 

 assistance of the owner, contrived to bleed him, and to give him a physic- 

 ball. At the same time I advised that he should be destroyed. 



His master would not consent to this ; and, as the dog occasionally ate a 

 little, we contrived to give a grain each of calomel and opium every sixth 

 hour. In the course of three days he was materially recovered. He 

 could stand ; but was exceedingly weak. I ordered the calomel to be 

 omitted, but the opium to be continued. Three days afterwards he was 

 sent into the country, and, as I heard, perfectly recovered. 



The following is a very interesting case of tetanus, detailed by M. De- 

 beaux, of the Royal French Chasseurs : 



A favourite dog was missing. Four days had passed, and no intelli- 

 gence could be obtained with regard to him until he returned home fatigued 

 and half-starved. He had probably been stolen. In the excess of their 

 joy, the owners crammed him with meat until he became strangely ill. 

 His throat was filled with froth, the pupils of his eyes were dilated, the 

 conjunctiva was strongly injected, his neck was spasmodically contracted, 

 and the spine of the back was bowed, and most highly sensible to the touch. 

 M. Debeaux was sent for : it was an hour before he could attend. The 

 dog was lying on his belly ; the four limbs were extended and stiff. He 

 uttered the most dreadful and prolonged howling every two or three 

 minutes. The surgeon ordered the application of a dozen leeches to the 

 chest and belly ; laxative medicines were given, and embrocations applied 

 to the spine and back. 



Three days passed and the symptoms evidently augmented. The excre- 

 ment was dark and fetid, and the conjunctiva had a strong yellow tint. 

 Leeches were again employed ; emollient lotions and aperient medicines 

 were resorted to. The sensibility of the spine and back was worse than 

 ever ; the animal lay on his belly, stretching out his four limbs, his neck 

 fixed, his jaws immovable, his voice hoarse, and he was utterly unable to 

 move. 



The bathings, lotions, and aperients were continued, with very few in- 

 termissions until the 14th day, when the muscles began to be a little re- 

 laxed ; but he cried whenever he was touched. On the 15th, for the first 

 time, he began to eat a little, and his natural voice returned ; still, however, 

 the spasms occasionally appeared, but very much mitigated, and on the 20th 

 the pain had entirely ceased. 



On the 5th of the next month he travelled two leagues with his master. 

 It was cold, and the snow fell. On his reaching home, all the horrible 

 spasms returned, and it was eleven days before he was completely cured. a 



Mr. Blaine gives the following account of his experience of this disease : 

 " It is remarkable, that although dogs are subject to various spasmodic 

 affections, yet they are so little subject to lock-jaw that I never met with 



Tetanus observed on a Dog, by M. Debeaux, Pract. Med. Ve't. 1829, p. 543. 



