CHLOROFORM IN TETANUS. 
249 
attacked with colic. Aware of the inability of young animals to 
bear continuous severe pain, and conscious of the uniform fa- 
tality of the disease in them, I became reckless. To place them 
both under the influence of chloroform was my first proceeding, 
and to keep them there the next. A small piece of sponge, 
with a few drops of chloroform, was applied to the nostrils as 
often as a low whine indicated a return to consciousness, from 
ten o’clock A. M. till six P. M., a period of nine hours. The 
animals, on regaining consciousness, were free from pain, and 
subsequently recovered. I thus demonstrated to my own satis- 
faction, what has since been frequently observed and publicly 
asserted, that the vapour of chloroform mixed with, atmospheric 
air is a supporter of respiration. The end is attained by the 
appliance of the sponge a little distance from the nostrils, and 
the absence of any means of confining the vapour. How long 
an animal might be kept in this condition remained to be 
proved ; but enough for my purpose had already been done. 
Closely following upon these experiments came a case of tetanus, 
from Mr. Lord, of Tavistock. The inhalation of chloroform was 
employed, with what result Mr. Lord shall state : turn to page 
667 of The Veterinarian for 1849. The mere act of apply- 
ing a clean sponge, says Mr. Lord, produced a spasm, and he 
fell. The subsequent use of chloroform produced no further 
effect. To be brief, the animal was destroyed. 
At page 679 of the same volume occur cases by “Caustic.” In 
one instance the internal employment of chloroform produced 
anaesthesia, which was kept up for twelve hours by occasional 
appliance of the sponge. The case recovered. 
The end in view was obviously the production of insensi- 
bility — its continuance was divested of all difficulty — inhalation 
had proved itself synonymous with destruction. Internal ad- 
ministration, where the jaws are firmly closed, is a feat of no 
mean character : injection at once into the circulation offered 
itself. In conjunction with my friend, Mr. Gowing, I deter- 
mined to test the efficacy of this. Accordingly, at the begin- 
ning of the year 1850, we commenced by selecting a healthy 
animal that was about ten years old. The jugular vein was 
opened, about a pint of blood abstracted, and half a drachm of 
chloroform injected; but from the inefficient nature of the instru- 
ment used, I think very little entered the vein. No result fol- 
lowing, in ten minutes the syringe was charged with two 
drachms, and more carefully introduced. Before I could fairly 
withdraw the tube, the animal fell as though shot : no prior ex- 
citement, no spasmodic action, but rapid and complete uncon- 
sciousness ; he never moved a muscle for seven or eight minutes, 
VOL. XXIV. M m 
