TETANUS. 
185 
increases in frequency and force, until the animal becomes 
debilitated, and then it beats yet quicker and quicker, but 
diminishes in power, and gradually flutters and dies away. I 
have counted 130 and 140 pulsations in a minute towards 
the close of tetanus; yet Mr. John Hinds tells us that it may 
increase to 60 when the disease is at its height, and becomes 
slower as the exhaustion of the animal increases, and at length 
beats not more than 40 times in a minute. When doctors 
disagree, why you, gentlemen, must judge for yourselves. 
The countenance is eager, anxious, haggard: it is piteous to 
behold, and it tells plainly enough how much the animal suffers. 
The Progress of the Disease .—The stiffness now gradually 
extends to the back. If the horse is in a narrow stall, it is 
impossible to turn him ; and even with room and scope enough, 
he turns altogether like a deal board. The extremities begin 
to participate in the spasm—the hinder ones first, and principally; 
but never to the extent to which it exists in the neck and back. 
The horse stands with his hind legs straddling apart in a very 
singular way. We see something resembling this in aflbctions 
of the kidneys, but it is not so marked as here; and when the 
animal is moved, the gait is still straddling to a remarkable de¬ 
gree : the whole of the limb moves, or rather is dragged on, 
together ; and anxious care is taken that no joint shall be flexed 
more than can possibly be helped. The fore limbs have a 
singular appearance : they are as stiff' as they can be, but 
stretched forward and straddling ; they have been very aptly 
compared to the legs of a form. Very soon after this, the ab¬ 
dominal muscles are plainly involved ; the panniculus carnosus 
contracts with all its might, and there is a degree of hide-bound 
and tucking-up of the belly which is seen under no other cir¬ 
cumstances. The tail becomes in constant motion from the 
alternate action of the elevators and depressors. 
Farther Progress .—The disease being confirmed, and having 
endured three or four days, the respiration becomes rapidly 
quickened and laborious. The pulse also, at first slightly af¬ 
fected, becomes quick, and small, and irregular. Constipation, 
and to an almost insurmountable degree, now appears. The 
abdominal muscles were not involved at first, and during some 
days the bowels retained much of their usual action, and responded, 
but perhaps not quite so readily as before, to the stimulus ofj)hysic ; 
but when the aid of the abdominal muscles is lost, a very great 
degree of constipation must ensue. 
J^ater Stage .—The spasm continues to extend, and to become 
more violent. The motion of the whole frame is lost, and the 
horse stands fixed in the unnatural posture he had assumed. 
