PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 463 



before, and yet their serum is not possessed of antitoxic po- 

 tency. Therefore, there is a cellular immunity besides the 

 antitoxic immunization which follows it. Behring first 

 thought that cellular immunity did not exist, but finally ad- 

 mitted the fact. 



Antitetanic serum is strongly agglutinant for bouillon cul- 

 tures of Nicolaier's bacillus. It agglutinates at i per 2,000, 

 or even at i per 150,000, while the serum of a normal horse 

 does not agglutinate above i per 50. 



SYMPTOMS. — It is desirable to study the symptoms in 

 every species, beginning with man. 



Man. — In man tetanus makes its appearance after a pe- 

 riod of incubation of at least four days. It averages between 

 six and fifteen days, and may be prolonged to three weeks. 

 The clinical types of the disease vary some, according to 

 the point of inoculation, that is, the point of entrance of the 

 micro-organism. Following a wound of the extremities, 

 hands, feet or trunk, tetanus usually manifests itself at the 

 end of eight to fifteen days by the appearance of contractions 

 of the facial muscles (trismus), which afterwards advances 

 to the neck and becomes generalized over the trunk. At the 

 same time there are circulatory and respiratory disturbances. 

 The pulse reaches 100 to 115, and the respirations 30 to 40. 

 The acceleration of the pulse and respiration are grave symp- 

 toms. 



During the entire continuance of the disease the temper- 

 ature does not rise over -^J to 38.8° C, but between twelve to 

 six hours before death, it may rise to 39, 40, 41, 42 or even 

 43° C. at the moment of death. The rise is rapid. The disease 

 lasts four to five days and then passes into the chronic stage, 

 and on rare occasions is cured. The mortality is from 85 

 to 90 per cent. 



When the virus is introduced into a region innervated 

 by the sympathetic system, tetanus is always serious and 



