440 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



nus is constantly de\-eloped in consequence of the contami- 

 nation of a wound with products containing the spores of the 

 tetanus bacilhis. Any accidental or operative traumatism 

 may be followed by tetanus. • 



Horse. — In the horse tetanus has been noticed to follow a 

 gKeat variety of traumatisms. Their seat has a considerable 

 influence. AA'^ounds of the extremities are in the first rank. — 

 Quittors, wire cuts, street nails, nail punctures, corns, kicks. 

 etc., are often complicated with tetanus. A^'ounds of the 

 trunk and head do not frequently exhibit this complication. 

 The most superficial woiuids may be followed by tetanus. 

 However, contused wounds, deep and anfractuous, broken 

 knees, vs^ounds by crushing, tearing or puncturing, irritating 

 v/ounds caused by foreign bodies, splinters, iron snags, nails, 

 etc., all have a specially predisposing tendency. Wounds 

 caused by the harness also give rise to visitations of tetanus, 

 and the harness may serve as the agent of direct infection. 

 Oliver saw three donkeys successively inoculated with teta- 

 nus by use of the same halter. The surg.ieal wounds most 

 frequently followed with tetanus are : Castration wiien per- 

 formed by clamping, amputation of the tail, application of 

 setons, foot operations, caudal myotomy, operation for um- 

 bilical hernia by clamping, or by cauterization with nitric 

 acid, the ablation of tumors, puncture-firing, blood-letting 

 in the jugular, blood-letting in the palate when performed 

 with the chamois' horn, amputation of the penis and hypo- 

 dermic injections. 



In every case the infection is caused by the operator. The 

 instruments used serve as carriers of the contagion, or the 

 operating field may become soiled with earth, dirt, dung, etc. 

 when the animal is lying down. It is especially the clamps, 

 ecraseur, and emasculator that infect the wound of castra- 

 tion, and the catheter may serve to inoculate the disease into 

 a susceptible subject. 



