LOCKED-TAW. 
471 
other of these causes. This latter is most especially the 
case when cattle are fed upon turnips. There has been 
invented by Mr. Alexander, a farmer of Tweedale, a useful 
instrument, called a probang, for pushing down the food 
when it sticks in the throat, which can be had of all 
instrument-makers who deal in implements for the use of 
farmers. But where farmers or others do not possess this 
instrument, a substitute may be made in the following 
manner. 
Three small canes of about five and a half or six feet 
long, are firmly bound together by waxed twine, rolled closely 
round its whole length. To the extremity of the canes is 
attached an elongated knob, made of shammy leather, 
stuffed with tow, and having a cup-shaped extremity. 
This knob must be firmly attached, by having long thongs 
proceeding from the edges of the leather, and firmly welted 
down by the enveloping twine. See plate x, fig. 19. The 
purpose of the cup-shaped extremity is to make certain of 
pushing forward the obstructing food, which but for this ter¬ 
mination might slip past it. Great care must be taken that 
the knob is properly attached, as, should it come off, it 
must ever remain in the stomach, an undigestible incum¬ 
brance, which is certain to create disease. The cup-shaped 
termination should be formed of tin, with a number of holes 
in it to permit of the leather being sown to it. See plate x. 
fig. 20. Whalebone, if sufficiently long, is preferable to 
cane, as being much more elastic. 
LOCKED- JA^W. 
Symptoms. —Tetanus or locked-jaw is at once distinguished 
by the animal being incapable of moving his jaw or of open¬ 
ing his mouth for the reception of food. It consists of a 
spasmodic contraction of the tendons by which the jaw is 
