422 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



to develop from nerve irritation caused by abrupt impres- 

 sions of cold or traumatism and that it was only a reflex 

 having for its origin a peripheric irritation, for its condi- 

 tion a functional over-activity of the nerve centers, and for 

 its effect muscular contraction. 



With B. Travers, Simpso.n (1854), Rose, Billroth, Panum, 

 etc , a new opinion came into existence. They regarded 

 tetanus as the consequence of a specific intoxication formed 

 in the region of the wound that, when absorbed, took effect 

 on the n9rve centers. Under the infivience of the microbian 

 doctrine its possible infectious character was speculated upon. 

 Already real epidemics of tetanus had been observed among 

 human beings and animals. In man great numbers of cases 

 of tetanus — veritable epidemics — were noticed following 

 great battles. After the battle of Prague (Seven Years' 

 War) 4,000 wounded men were attacked with tetanus in a 

 single night, and Larrey has testified to an epidemic in 

 Egypt and in Saxony. It was also seen in the Crimean War, 

 at Metz, etc. Surgeons refer to similar facts in wounded 

 soldiers in a single hospital ward. 



Veterinarians have furnished important information 

 which tends to prove the infectiousness of tetanus. La- 

 coste reports striking examples of it in a report on cas- 

 tration, in which Cagnet is said to have castrated six horses 

 with the same ecraseur and all died of tetanus. After the 

 ecraseur was disinfected no further deaths occurred. Sim- 

 ilar examples have been published in. great numbers. Lis- 

 ter had no more cases of tetanus following his operations 

 after he introduced antisepsis. 



Experimenters finally reached the last step of these in- 

 vestigations. Carle and Rattone (1884) succeeded in in- 

 oculating tetanus. Nicolaier discovered the microbe and 

 obtained pure cultures of a virulent character that pro- 

 duced tetanus fatal to animals. These results were con- 



