418 DISEASES INVOLVING NERVOUS SYSTEM 



unswallowed food and saliva the expirium becomes fetid. 

 A regurgitation of liquids and solids through the nostrils is 

 not uncommon. The peristalsis is suppressed and defecation 

 is difficult. Strangury is occasionally present; the specific 

 gravity of the urine is high. 



In tetanus the patient usually stands during the course of 

 the disease. If it should fall to the ground it rises with great 

 effort or must be assisted to its feet. In the last stages the 

 patient usually falls to the ground where, after showing violent 

 muscular spasms, it dies in a few hours. 



In local tetanus the muscular symptoms are confined to 

 the mUscIes nearest the point of infection and the spasms are 

 not severe. Generalized tetanus is usually preceded by local 

 tetanus. 



Ox. — In cattle, tetanus most often follows obstetrical opera- 

 tions. The symptoms are usually not so marked as in the 

 horse and are sometimes quite vague. The reflexes are not 

 much increased, the animal appearing stupified rather than 

 excited. From a contraction of the paunch muscles bloating 

 commonly occurs. From the vulva there is often a putrid 

 discharge. Emprosthotonos has been observed. 



Sheep. — In lambs, following umbilical infection or as the 

 result of castration and docking, tetanus may assume an 

 enzootic form. The symptoms in sheep are much like those 

 in the horse. Opisthotonos is usually well developed . 



Suine. — In swine the disease commonly follows castration 

 or ringing. There-is usually marked trismus. 



Diagnosis. — ^The characteristic tonic muscular spasms, the 

 normal mind and the absence of temperature speak for 

 tetanus. 



From strychnin poisoning the disease is distinguished by 

 the fact that the symptoms of this poisoning are much more 

 acute and between the paroxysms there is no rigidity. Tris- 

 mus is further rarely present in strychnin poisoning except in 

 the last stages. 



The disease might be confused with an acute muscular 

 rheumatism. However, this is not apt to occur if the symp- 

 toms are carefully noted. There is no prolapse of the nictat- 

 ing membrane and the muscles are tender on palpation in 

 rheumatism. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



