TETANUS. I9I 
been mentioned to prove the efficacy of all these treatments. But the 
facts reported were only those of benign cases of the slow form of infec- 
tion of chronic tetanus, which, as Teissier says, recovers with everything 
and often without anything. Knowing the nature of the disease and the 
disposition of the tetanigenous agents on the wound, the only means 
which deserve any confidence are cauterization, excision and amputation. 
The favorable results obtained by amputation in the case of mankind 
(Larrey, Berger), and the affirmation of bacteriologists that the Nicolaier 
bacillus remain confined to the vicinity of the wound of inoculation, have 
induced us to try, without very encouraging results, the free incision 
and cauterization of the infected region, with a certain number of ani- 
mals suffering from traumatic tetanus, which have been under our treat- 
ment during the last few years. In a general way, the free removal of 
the tissues of the peritraumatic zone—eradication—has shown itself 
much less advantageous than the simple disinfection and careful 
cleansing of the virulent wound. For man, Verneuil objected to the 
eradication of the toxic center, when it necessitates mutilation ; and 
Chauvel opposed to this treatment the experimental results of Vail- 
lard, proving that the extirpation of a muscle in which a few drops of 
tetanic poison have been injected does not prevent the development 
of the disease. The rapidity of diffusion of the toxic agent goes 
counter, generally speaking, to free ablations. 
As to the medical treatment, it counts agents without number, some 
harmless, others somewhat injurious, all of an indifferent value. Those 
that have been principally used are opium and morphine, belladonna and 
atropine, hyoscyamus, stramonium, alcohol, ether, chloroform, chloral, 
curare, Calaborbean, eserine, jaborandi, and pilocarpine, spirits of tur- 
pentine, with oil, iodine, salicylic acid, and quinine in intratrachial in- 
jections, bromide and iodide of potassium, and inhalations of oxygen, 
bichloride of mercury and phenic acid in intravenous injections, 
bromhydrate of quinine and antipyrine in intratrachial injections, and 
finally the antitetanic serum in cutaneous or intravenous injections. 
All those agents have given more failures than successes. None can 
overcome the tetanic spasm. Medicamental substances, however, 
which reduce the hyperexcitability of the spinal cord have « beneficial 
action and attest towards recovery: two especially, chloral and mor- 
phine, are advantageous and constitute the medicaments to be preferred. 
Morphine has the disadvantage of provoking phenomena of excitement 
in the horse; it should be used only in small repeated doses ; in large 
or even medium doses, it has always shown itself to us more injurious 
than beneficial.* Chloral can be administered through the rectum by 
intravenous injections. If it is introduced into the digestive canal it 
* C. D. Norris claims to have had good results by subcutaneous injections of sul. 
phate of eserinic and dilute hydrocyanic acid. (Am. Vet. Rev. Vol. 15, p. 386.) (T.) 
