284 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



For ourselves, we do not advocate the severe treatment 

 as necessary. The pulse is not usually accelerated in 

 tetanus ; bleeding, therefore, is not in every case indicated. 

 The bowels are not invariably constipated ; and purgatives 

 are not required. The benefit of violent counter- irritation 

 is not demonstrated ; its employment, therefore, is not 

 justified. The best practitioners doubt the efficacy of the 

 active tortures of the old school, and think that perfect 

 quiet is of more use than violent medicine. If the horse be 

 costive, administer a purgative, and a bold one ; because an 

 ordinary purge will have no eff'ect during the existence of 

 tetanus. Sedatives are now indicated. Two drachms of 

 opium, with one drachm of camphor, as a first dose ; and 

 one drachm of opium and half a drachm of camphor (with 

 the same drugs as a clyster), have been found serviceable. 

 The subjoined will be found a pow^erful compound : 



Powdered opium 

 Sulphuric ether 

 Camphor . 

 Tincture of aconite 

 Spirit of turpentine 

 Strong: ale . 



Mix the turpentine with the yolks of two eggs, then the 



other ingredients, and give in two 



J ounce. 



1 ounce. 



2 drachms. 



1 ounce. 



2 ounces. 

 1 pint. 



loses, at the interval of 



two hours ; and repeat if the symptoms do not mitigate. 



Then place the animal where it cannot be disturbed, and 

 take care to visit it as seldom as possible, the door being 

 locked, the horse left alone, and every precaution taken to 

 prevent the slightest noise. The absolute quietude thus 

 obtained has been found to be of more service than anything 

 else ; and the horse which has thus been shut up in silence 

 has more frequently recovered than the one which has been 

 continually annoyed under the pretence of assisting its 

 restoration. 



As for food — the horse is not able to take any solid 

 nourishment ; but he may have a mash more than usually 

 wet in his manger, and a bucket of gruel may be slung in 

 some part of the box, from either or both of which he may, 

 perhaps, contrive to extract a little nourishment. The 

 appetite of the tetanic horse rarely fails him. Though he 

 may be unable to eat, he will, under the influence of hunger, 



