306 
REMARKS ON TETANUS. 
thought that the main or only cause for the pain was the distention of 
the periosteum by the tumour underneath it, the same as is said to 
happen in the case of nodes in the human subject. I would hot go 
so far as to say a case of this description never happens; but I 
should certainly lay it down as my opinion that the stretching of the 
periosteum was by no means so frequent a cause of the pain or 
lameness in spavin as others that I will mention. The exostosis, 
in a state of partial or entire callus, is itself in certain stages in 
that inflamed condition that it is but natural to suppose it must 
be the seat of considerable pain. And then there is to be taken 
into the account the chief source of pain, as it must be acknow- 
ledged to be, of all, when it is present, and that is, the inflammation 
and ulceration and caries of the joints. And, further, what 
operates against the theory of the distended periosteum is the fact 
of low spavin or hind splent, “ knots” upon the hock, as they are 
called, rarely giving rise to lameness ; though they are calculated 
to put the periosteum on the stretch quite to the same degree as 
true spavins. One argument, however, there exists in favour of the 
distention of the periosteum, and that is, the asserted fact of lame- 
ness having been known to be relieved — some say cured — by 
division of the stretched membrane, an operation called periosteo- 
tomy , whereof it will become my business to speak hereafter. 
REMARKS ON TETANUS. 
By G. B. S. Leff. 
Knowing that you must take pride and delight in our pro- 
fession, I think it my duty to inform you of every peculiar 
circumstance that occurs in my practice. Blaine says that te- 
tanus is idiopathic and symptomatic, and that idiopathic is much 
the most frequent. Now I have had thirteen cases in my own 
practice within seventeen years, and every one case was symp- 
tomatic. It appears that an injury done to the spine is the most 
likely to produce it. 1 cured three cases out of the thirteen by 
the application of cold water, being previously kept hot. Bleeding 
seems to do harm. Several of my cases were from falling down : — 
1. Pony fell down and broke the knees. 
2. Horse cut foot with stone, point of frog. 
3. Horse pricked by blacksmith. 
