Tetanus. 315 



convenient application may be made by incorporating i oz. 

 powdered iodine and 2 lbs. wood tar, and smearing this on the 

 navel. 



Much may be done by disinfection of stables and yards where 

 the victims of tetanus have been. The anaerobic germ soon loses 

 its virulence in free air and sunshine, and one has to dread 

 especially, filthy stables, collections of manure, contaminated 

 litter, wood, combs, brushes and buckets. In unpaved yards re- 

 move the infected surface soil and replace by fresh disinfected 

 earth, or still better, well burned brick. 



For horses which are necessarily exposed to manure or con- 

 taminated soil, it is commendable to wash the hoofs and posterns 

 on returning from work and then sponge with a weak solution 

 (5 per cent.) of phenic acid. Another resort is to smear the 

 hoofs daily with an ointment of tar and lard, equal parts. This 

 cannot protect from infection by splinters of wood containing the 

 spores, but is to a large extent preventive in the case of bacilli 

 that might have been otherwise lodged on the surface and which 

 could have been carried into the wounds inflicted by nails and other 

 noninfected bodies. Careful shoeing is all important, to avoid 

 the bruises, suppurating corns and gravelling which make 

 openings for the ready entrance of the spore. 



Roux and Nocard recommend immunization by protective in- 

 oculation. This is not only possible, but would be justified 

 economicallj'' in the case of valuable animals, or in all animals in 

 a district where the bacillus tetani is universally spread. The 

 method is the same as advised above for the immunization of 

 animals, for the production of antitoxin. 



In districts where tetanus is rare, the cost of universal im- 

 munization against the disease would very far exceed the losses 

 from casual cases. Under such conditions it would be an 

 economical blunder. 



