J OF YETERINARY MEDICINE. 245 



appetite remains good but the bowels are inactive. The peristal- 

 tic action is interfered with. 



As a rule the horse persistently stands and if he can get up 

 after being down, it is a favorable sign. Death comes from two 

 causes, — syncope and asphyxia. The muscles of the throat con- 

 tract and cause the asphyxia. Death occurs in from two to 

 ten days. 



Prognosis. — When a spasm throws a horse down, there is 

 little hope. If the animal can eat and the trismus is slight and 

 the respiration is not affected then the results may not be so 

 bad. We find by experience that the mortality runs from 75% 

 to 80%. If the animal lives thirteen days he has 50% of the 

 chances to recover. If he lives eighteen days he has 75% in his 

 favor. If he lives twenty-one days he has 95% in his favor. 

 Dr. Baker says one of bis cases died on the twenty-eighth day. 



Treatment. — There is no specific treatment. Give a rational 

 course toward allaying the symptoms, bearing in mind that if 

 the animal lives two weeks he will probably recover. Pay at- 

 tention to the hygiene. If it is cold, clothe him warmly; if it is 

 hot, keep the animal cool. Keep away exciting conditions. Give 

 linseed gruel — about two gallons, and keep this before him all 

 the time. Give him nothing else to drink. Let the horse have 

 as much of the gruel as he will drink. The gruel tends to loosen 

 the bowels. Purgatives are useless. It is a good plan to put the 

 horse in a sling. Bear in mind that he cannot recover on his 

 side. 



Give drugs that will quiet the nervous system, such as bel- 

 ladonna, prussic acid, morphine, ether, chloral hydrate, lobelia 

 and gelsemium. If the tetanus antitoxin can be given in time it 

 will cure the disease, but it must be given early. Some claim 

 that this is useless, but it has not proven so in my experience. 

 Give about 40 cc for the first day than 20 cc the second ; the 

 third day the same. If on the fourth day the animal is hold- 

 ing his own, then give another dose of 20 cc. Keep this up for 

 ten days. If however the animal begins to grow worse, then 

 drop the serum treatment. 



