Tetanus of the New-born 102 1 



thorough application, and that any delay or carelessness is liable 

 to vitiate the result. 



Antistreptococcic serum has been heralded as a valuable prophy- 

 lactic against this infection, but is wholly needless. Local 

 cleanliness is ample, and other means superfluous or worse. Few 

 diseases of animals are more subject to safe, convenient and 

 economic prevention than navel infection of the new-born. Its 

 success calls for fidelity to cleanliness on the part of the owner, 

 preceded by timely arid intelligent advice by the veterinarian. 



2. Tetanus Neonatorum. 



Tetanus of the New-born. 



Tetanus of the new-born acquires special significance because 

 of the avenue of entrance of the tetanus bacilli. While tetanus 

 may appear in any new-born animal from the same causes which 

 induce it in the adult, it is of especial interest to us when occur- 

 ring as a result of navel infection. Owing to the method of 

 infection, the malady acquires a distinctive name, though differ- 

 ing in no essential respect from the ordinary disease, except per- 

 haps that it is more virulent because the toxic substances enter 

 more freely and directly from the umbilic vein into the general 

 circulation. In domestic animals, tetanus of the new-born is 

 chiefly confined to the foal. 



The symptoms of tetanus of the new-born are identical with 

 those observed in the adult animal, except that in our observa- 

 tion the onset is more sudden, the course more violent, and 

 death more certain. We have not observed a recovery, but in 

 the few instances which we have seen the course of the disease 

 has been especially brief and stormy. As a general rule the foal 

 goes down and is unable to stand within 24 hours after the first 

 symptoms are noted. 



If the navel is examined in these cases, so far as we have 

 observed, there is found in each instance a well-marked purulent 

 discharge emanating from the navel vein. 



The disease is handled the same as other cases of tetanus, but, 

 so far as we have observed, is hopeless from the outset. 



Tetanus of the new-born may be safely and readily prevented 

 by the same precautions which we have suggested in the fore- 

 ffoine article, for ordinary purulent infection of the navel. 



