58 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 
twenty drops of nitrate of amyl may be given by inhalation. Put it ona 
small towel and let it be s/oewZy inhaled by the horse. It may be repeated 
in two or three hours if no perceptible effect has been produced. : 
The slightest excitement will aggravate the distress. Loud noises, 
exposure to the sun’s rays, angry words, the presence of spectators, and 
even the rustle of straw, are excitants. Hence, let the attendants be as few 
as is consistent with proper care. Let the stall be comfortable and re- 
moved from annoyances, with but little ight. Chop the bedding into short 
pieces, to allow free movement of the feet, changing it often; have plenty 
of dry clothing, using the amount required by the circumstances, and chang- 
ing frequently on account of the free sweats incident to the disorder. Ifa 
prick in shoeing or stepping on a nail be the cause of lock-jaw, remove the 
shoe, pare and rasp the foot thin; remove all foreign substances from the 
wound; squeeze out the pus or watery matter; then make a poultice of 
bran soaked in sixteen fluid ounces of hot water, into which has been pre- 
viously put one ounce of tincture of arnica. Apply this to the wound two 
or three times a day. Such a poultice may also be put upon the spine. 
Tincture of lobelia, aconite or belladonna, may be used in place of the 
arnica, When a flesh wound has caused the disease, a warm arnica-wash 
may be applied to the wound, one ounce of tincture of arnica to sixteen 
ounces of hct water. Aconite or belladonna may be used instead of the 
arnica, if the symptoms indicate. Soak a sponge in this wash and bind it to 
the wound with linen strips, fixing the ends of the latter to the skin with 
glue or collodion, taking care that the lotion dves not drain out of the 
sponge so as to moisten the glue on the ends of the strips. Do not try to 
force open the jaws that are firmly set. If food can not be taken naturally, 
and if suction be impossible, broth, milk, or rich gruel may be injected with 
a syringe into the bowels through the rectum. Frequent and careful rub- 
bing of the body is very useful for stimulating the action of the skin and 
reducing stiffness of the muscles. Back-raking with a well-greased arm 
and hand should be carefully applied, as it is very useful. 
STRINGHALT. 
This is a peculiar irregular and spasmodic action of the muscles, due 
to some nervous disorder that eludes accurate discovery, causing a singular 
movement of the hind legs; the fore legs are seldom affected. The hock 
is bent, and the leg is lifted high in locomotion, with a twitching or con- 
vulsive action in picking it up. It is not lameness, and diminishes or wholly 
disappears after the horse has been in motion a while. It increases as the 
horse grows older, and in later years interferes seriously with traveling. 
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