368 MR. youatt’s veterinary lectures. 
TETANUS IN CATTLE. 
Tetanus is not of frequent occurrence in cattle, but it is seldom 
that a beast recovers from it. Its approach is very insidious, 
and rarely observed by the herdsman until the mischief is done. 
The animal is off its food; ceases to ruminate; is disinclined to 
move ; stands with its head protruded; but there is no dryness 
of the muzzle, or heat of the horn, or coldness of the ear; and 
nothing is done. On the next day the patient can scarcely be 
made to move at all, and turns just like a deal board; and, 
then, some suspicion arising as to the real state of the case, and 
the finger being put into the mouth, the jaw is found to be 
locked. 
Working cattle are most subject to tetanus. They may be 
pricked in shoeing; or, after a hard day’s work, and when they 
are covered with perspiration, they may have been turned out to 
graze in a cold and wet night. Over-driving is notan uncommon 
cause of this disease in cattle. The drovers are enabled, from 
long experience, to calculate the average mortality among a herd 
of cattle in their journey from the north to the southern markets ; 
and at the head of the list of diseases, and with the greatest num¬ 
ber of victims, stands ‘Mocked jaw,” especially if the principal 
drover is long absent from his charge. 
Treatment. Bleeding .—The treatment must here, as in the 
horse, be of the promptest character: the beast must be bled 
until he staggers, and threatens to fall. 
Physic .—Advantage must be taken of the effect, not always 
so lasting as we could wish, which bleeding produces—a certain 
degree of relaxation of the spasm, and a dose of physic must be ad¬ 
ministered. From half a drachm to two scruples of the farina 
of the croton nut should be given in a little gruel, and with, if it 
can be then administered, o.r as soon afterwards as it can, a 
pound or a pound and a half of Epsom salts in solution. Smaller 
doses must be repeated every six hours until purging is pro¬ 
duced. 
The mode of administering the Phi/sic .—There is sometimes 
great difficulty in producing purging; for, as we shall have occa¬ 
sion to shew hereafter, the direction which the medicine may take, 
and the stomach into which it goes, is uncertain. It may pass on 
at once through the third and fourth stomachs, and have its im¬ 
mediate effect on the bowels, or it may accumulate in the paunch, 
and remain there inert day after day. The manner in which the 
physic is given may have some influence on this. If the attend¬ 
ant is in a great hurry to take advantage of relaxation of the 
spasm, and pours down the whole drink as quickly as he can, 
