714 TETANUS AND ITS PROFITABLE DISCUSSION. 
importance as nerve-tissue. There are, no doubt, fatal cases 
in which no disease is discernible in the afferent nerve, nor 
even in the spinal cord ; but this is no proof that ever a 
recovery took place where the nerve was diseased ; on the 
contrary, one might argue that, if we have fatal cases 
without disease of nerve, how can we expect recovery with 
disease ? 
During my first session at college I had the benefit of wit- 
nessing a thorough post-mofterfi examination, made by the 
late Professor Strangeways, of the carcase of a horse that 
died from idiopathic tetanus ; the spinal cord and brain, with 
their appendages, were, after immense trouble, carefully laid 
bare from end to end, and a most beautiful sight they pre- 
sented. The abnormal appearance observable in this case 
was extensive venous congestion along the whole course of 
the spinal cord, with effusion. I remember Professor 
Strangeways referring to the case in one of his lectures, and 
I have jotted down in one of my college note-books (e Lock- 
jaw caused by venous congestion of spinal cord and cover- 
ings.” The disease was induced by exposure to cold, and 
was treated with hydrocyanic acid. Great numbers of intes- 
tinal worms were found in this case, and I consider it here 
worthy of note that many eminent pathologists consider these 
parasites a predisposing cause of tetanus, as they are almost 
invariably found in post-mortepi examinations of tetanic sub- 
jects. There cannot, I think, be the least doubt that certain 
constitutions carry with them an inherent predisposing some- 
thing which, on the slightest provocation of the requisite de- 
scription, brings on all the usual tetanic symptoms ; this is 
the only way of accounting for the immense numbers of re- 
coveries from severe accidents without any untoward symp- 
toms, while, on the other hand, tetanus will supervene from, 
perhaps, a very trifling injury in a subject with this inherent 
predisposer, such as intestinal worms, This is a matter 
worthy of extensive inquiry. 
In protracted cases of tetanus the chief thing to be dreaded 
by veterinary practitioners is weakness ; a severe and con- 
tinued attack makes such a drain on the most robust system 
that, even after the spasmodic symptoms have disappeared, 
fatal collapse from sheer weakness is but too common a finale 
in this disease. The poor animal loses balance, goes down, and 
never rises. In the Veterinarian for September, Mr. Robert- 
son, Stonehaven, mentions two such cases where the patients, 
after being in a fair way of recovery, went down and rose no 
more. The only remedy for this is to sling the patient. Mr. 
Andrew Simpson apparently ignores the use of slings under 
