DISEASES OF THE NEBVOXJS SYSTEM. 243 



* 



head almost exempt in some cases, and have the body and limbs 

 perfectly rigid and incapable of movement without falling. 



Tetanus may possibly be confounded with spinal meningitis, but 

 the character of the spasm-locked jaw, retraction of the eyeballs, the 

 difficulty in swallowing due to spasms of the muscles of the pharynx, 

 and above all, the absence of paralysis, should serve to make the 

 distinction. 



Prevention. — When a valuable horse has sustained a wound that it 

 is feared may be followed by tetanus, it is well to administer a dose of 

 tetanus antitoxin. This is injected beneath the skin with a hypoder- 

 mic syringe. A very high degree of protection may in this way be 

 afforded. This antitoxin should be administered only by a competent 

 veterinarian. 



Treatment. — ^The animal should be placed in a box stall without 

 bedding, as far as possible from other horses. If in a country dis- 

 trict, the animal should be put into an outbuilding or shed, where 

 the noise of other animals will not reach it; if the place is moder- 

 ately dark, it is all the better ; in fly time it should be covered with a 

 light sheet. The attendant must be very careful and quiet to prevent 

 all unnecessary excitement and increase of spasm. Tetanus antitoxin 

 appears to be useful as a remedy in some cases, if given in very large 

 quantities early in the disease ; otherwise it is useless. Subcutaneous 

 injections of carbolic acid in glycerin and water (fcarbolic acid 30 

 grains, glycerin and water each 1 ounce) appear to be useful in 

 some cases. Injections should be given twice daily. 



A cathartic, composed of Barbados aloes 6 to 8 drams, with which 

 may be mixed 2 drams of the solid extract of belladonna, should be 

 given at once. This is best given in a ball form; if , however, the ani- 

 mal is greatly excited by the attempt or can not swallow, the ball may 

 •be dissolved in 2 ounces of olive oil and thrown on the back of the 

 tongue with a syringe. If the jaws are set,- or nearly so, an attempt 

 to administer medicine by the mouth should not be made. In such 

 cases one-quarter of a grain of atropia, with 5 grains of sulphate of 

 morphia, should be dissolved in 1 dram of pure water and injected 

 under the skin. This should be repeated sufficiently often to keep the 

 animal continually under its effect. This will usually mitigate the 

 severity of the spasmodic contraction of the affected muscles and 

 lessen sensibility to pain. Good results may be obtained sometimes 

 by the rectal injection of the fluid extract of belladonna and of can- 

 nabis indica, of each 1 dram, every four or six hours. This may 

 be diluted with a quart of milk. When the animal is unable to swal- 

 low liquids, oatmeal gruel and milk should be given by injection per 

 rectum to sustain the strength of the animal. A pailful of cool water 

 should be constantly before him, placed high enough for him to reach 

 it without special effort ; even if drinking is impossible, the laving of 



