AND HIS DISEASES. 151 



tardy, small doses of nux vomica or strychnine, as recom- 

 mended "un3er paralysis, should be giv en. He should le 

 well bedded up with st raw, and turn ed nig ht a nd morning 

 until he is able_to_iise. I t ofte n runs its cour se in from 

 th irty-s ix t o fo rty-e ight h ours, usually , ho wever, in from 

 t hree to six days, tit is more fatal in stallions and geldings 

 than in mares. """ 



TETANUS OE LOCKJAW. 



Tetanus is a peculiar irritability of the nervous system, 

 inducing (jonstant spasmodic contraction of the voluntary, 

 and after a'time the involuntary, muscles. . It is not uncom- 

 mon in this country, especially during the 'summer months. 

 It is usually called lockjaw, from this becoming a prominent 

 symptom, > but the term is objectionable, inasmuch as we 

 have often cases of tetanus in which the jaws are not 

 " locked," and are but slightly implicated. Other technical 

 terms are used, according to the extent and predominance of 

 the muscles affected. We use the general term tetanus to 

 express the peculiar state of the system when affected' with 

 the peculiar spasmodic rigidity of this disease in the whole 

 or part of the body. 



Causes. — It commonly occurs in consequence of wounds, 

 when it is called traumatic tetanus ; also from other causes 

 not apparent, when it is distinguished as idiopathic tetanus. 

 It often arises from wounds of the foot-pricks^ corks, &c., 

 punctures of the tendons or their sheaths, deep punctured 

 woimds of the groin, as from being staked, saddle-galls, &c. ' 

 Sometimes follows castration, docking and pricking ; worms 

 and other intestinal irritation sometimes give rise to it ; un- 

 due exposure to wet and cold, &c., are common causes. 



Symptoms. — We are unable to detect it until the well- 

 marked symptoms present themselves, which, once seen, can 

 never be forgotten, yet no doubt it exists in the system for a 



