TETANUS AND ITS PROFITABLE DISCUSSION. 711 
hydrocyanic acid will be his sheet-anchor. The two state- 
ments, I think he must confess, are hardly compatible. 
Mr. Simpson’s twelve cases, as I read them, clearly advo- 
cate the use of hydrocyanic acid, and yet, strange to say, he 
states he does not know that the acid is even necessary ; but 
he has never seen it do harm. Why on earth he should 
administer an unnecessary agent because it does the poor 
patient no harm, I for one cannot conceive ; and then, a few 
lines afterwards, we are told, as I have previously remarked, 
that this said unnecessary and harmless acid will be his 
sheet-anchor. 
Further, Mr. Simpson’s observation, as to one case not 
possessing the value of twelve, is, I grant, true, though 
savouring somewhat of a boast, inasmuch as tetanic cases 
are not of every-day occurrence — Mr. Simpson’s twelve, to 
wit, from March, 1869, downwards ; but Mr. Simpson may 
rest assured that twelve cases and upwards, if they come 
under my care, will have the benefit of aconite, and a record 
of the effects will be kept. 
In that gentleman’s sketch of enteritis, as treated with 
aconite, he jumps to conclusions. I merely remarked upon 
the administration of the said drug in enteritic disease, and 
referred to its powerful effect upon the heart’s action, not 
recommending the medicine as specific treatment for the 
malady ; and yet those agents that will in the shortest space 
of time deaden pain or allay the nervous excitability accom- 
panying some diseases are the agents which, in my opinion, 
every practitioner should use. Continually lowering the 
patient’s pulse or stringing it up is not the way (so far as my 
knowledge is concerned) to effect a cure in tetanus or 
enteritis, though Mr. Simpson appears to think all that is 
necessary is to reduce the pulse to 40, and then all anxiety 
is removed, the other symptoms of the disease may be left 
to take care of themselves. 
But I will not further trespass upon your valuable space, 
save only to say I felt that an answer was demanded from 
me ; and it is in friendly spirit that I have penned these lines. 
THE TREATMENT OF TETANUS AND ITS PRO- 
FITABLE DISCUSSION. 
By Alex. E. Macgillivray, Veterinary Surgeon, Banff. 
In the Veterinarian for September the discussion on tetanus 
and its treatment assumes a new phase. Previously the 
