TETANUfei. 
14D 
marrow were alone the cause of tetanus, as the voluntary muscles 
only are affected ; and the grand source, if we may so speak of 
the nerves of voluntary muscles, is the spinal marrow-; but a dis¬ 
ease of the spinal chord would not account for the spasmodic ac¬ 
tion of the muscles of the jaw, face, 8cc., as they receive their 
nerves almost in a direct way from the brain. 
Yet, although the brain and spinal marrow have been thus 
proved to be diseased in a case of tetanus, we are by no means 
warranted in concluding, that injiamniation of those organs ex¬ 
ists in the majority of cases; for numerous have been the cases 
where no inflammatory appearance has been discovered. I much 
doubt, whether inflammation may be considered as a neces¬ 
sary concomitant of this disease, since it so often takes place 
without any quickness of pulse, or other febrile symptoms. 
But there are other organs diseased in tetanic cases besides 
those we have mentioned. There are evident proofs of lesions to 
a considerable extent existing in the stomach and bowels. The 
branches of the sympathetic nerve surrounding the stomach are 
likewise observed to partake of the inflammation, and red patches 
are seen in the small intestines at different places; altogether 
proving, beyond a doubt, that great irritation exists in the diges¬ 
tive orcrans. 
Now, it is evidently a point of much practical importance to 
decide, whether these lesions observed in the stomach and bowels 
are merely symptomatic, or whether they may not be considered 
as the primary malady. 
I believe the latter position to be the correct one. Tetanus 
depends, if any disease does, upon sympathy. It is a nervous 
disorder, and may be defined to be the result of an injury upon 
certain nerves, by means of which the morbid influence is con¬ 
veyed to the brain and spinal marrow, whence it is reflected 
through the motor nerves to the muscular system; and this 
morbid influence conveyed, is evidently caused by a deranged 
state of the digestive organs. 
A rather singular case occurred in my practice but a few 
weeks since, which, in conjunction with the post-mortem obser¬ 
vations before alluded to, proves the correctness of this opinion. 
I was attending a horse belonging to a farmer, about ten miles 
from my residence, and, after I had finished the business for 
which I had been employed, he cursorily remarked, that he had 
a three-year old colt, in an adjoining field, that had lately been 
ill with the strangles. “ He did not recover his health,’’ he 
said, as soon as he expected, and, although it was more than 
three weeks since the abscess had broken and discharged, yet 
there was still a very small hole left underneath the jaw ; he had 
