DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 131 



jaw, imagine that all the trouble is in the eyes. In fact the writer has 

 known of several instances where persons, ignorant of the real cause, 

 supposed the animal to be affected with " hooks," and therefore cut ont 

 what they concluded to be offensive. The animal moves very stiffly, 

 the legs are almost rigid, and when walking they are used like sticks. 

 When turned the body is kept straight and moves around like a log. 

 When standing still the legs are propped out, and, were it not for the 

 breathing, the beast might be compared to a wooden horse. The tail 

 is elevated and sticks out like a pump handle. The jaws are moved 

 very stiffly during the first part of the attack, and there may be grating 

 of the teeth or champing so long as they can be moved, but at any time 

 if the hand be placed in the mouth to force the jaws apart, rigidity to 

 a greater or less extent will be manifest. The animal will eat as long 

 as ir is possible to open the jaws wide enough to take anything into 

 the mouth. On account of the general stiffness the urine and dung are 

 1-a^ed with some difficulty. The pulse is usually hard, but does not 

 vary much from normal in other respects, until some time after the 

 attack, when it increases very much in frequency. As the disease 

 progresses all the symptoms become more pronounced. The haw ex- 

 tends further over the eye, and at any time, if the head is forced up by 

 the hand, the eye may be entirely hidden as it is drawn back, and the 

 haw forced over it. The breathing becomes more rapid and difficult; 

 the nostrils are open to their widest extent, showing the congested 

 membranes .within the nose ; the jaws become more or less set or locked ; 

 swallowing, always accomplished with difficulty, becomes almost or 

 quite impossible. At times, and especially if the animal is annoyed or 

 excited by attendants or noises, the intensity of the spasm is increased 

 so as to amount to paroxysms. The animal usually remains on its feet 

 as long as possible, but should it get down after the disease is well 

 established it is seldom able to rise alone, and in its endeavors to do 

 so it struggles convulsively, and as a rule the struggles end in death. 



Treatment. Tetanus in every instance must be considered a very 

 serious affection, but not necessarily always a fatal one. Some cases 

 have recovered in spite of the most brutal and ignorant methods of 

 treatment; some have recovered without much treatment of any kind: 

 aud many cases succumb under the treatment of the most eminent prac- 

 titioners after every measure prompted by science, humanity, and rea- 

 son has been resorted to. Of paramount importance is to recognize the 

 affection and begin the treatment before the disease has made much 

 advance, for when it is well established the effect is not only harder to 

 overcome, but every aid is more diflicult to render. 



At the appearance of the first symptoms, when the animal is still 

 able to swallow without much difficulty, give the following drench: 

 Epsom salts, 10 ounces; common salt, 10 ounces; calomel. 2 drams; pul- 

 veri/.ed gentian, 1 ounce; warm wat>r, 2 quarts. After the administra- 

 tion of the foregoing dose there is to be no more drenching. 



