24 
TETANUS. 
effect; the pulse, which at first was not affected, had become 
quick and intermittent ; the breathing v\^as at intervals, particu¬ 
larly when excited, laborious ; and the countenance had a wilder 
and more haggard appearance. I bled to the amount of four 
quarts, being afraid to draw^ more blood, in consequence of her 
being so near her foaling time. I ordered ^ij of opium, and 3j 
of Barbadoes aloes, morning and evening; the clysters to be 
continued, and a warm sheep skin to be applied over the back 
and loins. She was still costive; the clysters brought away a 
few hard slimy pellets at each ejection. 
For about a week this plan of treatment was pursued; thin 
gruel and ground oats, and bran mixed with water, were given 
her, which she sucked through the teeth. The opium was in¬ 
creased to 3iij daily. 
10th day .—The disease has existed for ten days—the jaws 
are as rigid as ever, and the animal has become very weak. 
The proprietor talks about administering a leaden ball, as a 
specific. 
11th day .—A slight remission of the spasms is observed, 
and purging is produced for the first time. The suffering ani¬ 
mal ate some grass that was offered her. A slight cedematous 
swelling is observed underneath the abdomen. From this period 
she began to recover; the dropsical swelling gradually increased 
in size, until it assumed a formidable appearance, and the time 
of the remission of the spasms gradually lengthening. In fact, 
exactly in the same ratio as a fluid was deposited in the cel¬ 
lular structure of the skin, did the muscles become less rigid. 
The progress of the cure was exceedingly slow; the swelling 
was punctured with a lancet, which soon removed the enlarge¬ 
ment; the animal was again turned to grass, and in about six 
weeks she was delivered of a fine colt, and both at this period 
(now six years ago) are in perfect health. 
CASE II. 
A grey gelding, seven years old, on the 21st May, 1832, was 
observed by the groom to have some difficulty in swallowing, 
and not to eat with his wonted appetite. He gave him a dose of 
physic (5vj of aloes), but on the following morning, the pro¬ 
prietor observing him to move his hinder limbs with difficulty, 
he was immediately placed under my care. 
I found him labouring under every symptom that characterizes 
tetanus. The back and loins were shrugged up ; the tail elevated 
and tremulous; the ears erect; the eyes wild, and squinting out¬ 
wards, appearing as if forced out of their sockets, with the haws 
protruding over them. The nostrils expanded, the countenance 
