A SUCCESSFUL CASE OF TETANUS. 
2G5 
influenced by a fresh operation. This case shews what may oc¬ 
casionally be done by perseverance. The question respecting 
hereditary disposition 1 shall leave alone ; and only tell you the fact. 
Stanmore, April 23, 1832. 
Dec. 21, 1827.—I was called to a colt, three years-old, with 
tetanus. His dam, when he was one year old, died from the 
disease, evidently brought on by a painful festering corn. I could 
not attribute his disorder to any known cause; the muscles, general¬ 
ly, very rigid and hard, the power of masticating soft food barely 
remaining; the superficial vessels full, and extremities warm. 
Bleed; stimulate the extremities, and give two drachms ant. tart, 
in every pailful of water. It was regularly taken. Continued the 
treatment (the symptoms not gaining on us) till the 27th, when 
he got down, and was obliged to be lifted up by the pulleys. 
The treatment continued ; the bowels were relaxed, and decidedly 
acted on about the seventh day. 
—During the night got down again ; the limbs so rigid 
and stiff, that the two upper legs could not touch the ground, 
but kept beating the air, as it were, incessantly. From his 
struggles on the pavement of flint, the skin of the hip, shoul¬ 
ders, and head was completely rubbed off, and the parts so 
much injured and bruised, that considerable exfoliations from 
the ileum and the zygomatic process of the temporal bone suc¬ 
ceeded. The power of mastication still remaining, he was lifted 
up again w 7 ith the pullies, and kept suspended. Continued the 
treatment, with occasional intermissions, till January 28th, when 
improvement had so far taken place, that he was loosened and 
led about daily; but put into the suspensory after exercise. 
February 7th.—The attendants left him tied up to the rack. 
Between three and four hours after, on their return, he was 
found almost down, the halter being strong enough to hold 
his head close to the manger rail. In his struggles attend¬ 
ing that confinement he extensively broke open the old wounds ; 
and by the near fore leg repeatedly striking a sharp-edged 
post, he made an opening into the fetlock joint. Ilis owner 
being from home, it was thought advisable not to destroy 
him. He was raised again. By this time a considerable relax¬ 
ation of the muscles had taken place; so that a dose of physic 
was administered, and he was bled freely. Synovial discharge, 
with great inflammation and pain, came on in a few days : the 
off leg, by supporting the whole weight of the body, began to 
bend under him. The sling was constructed with a swivel at the 
top; and he was moved in a circle frequently in the daytime. 
The leg continued to increase bending at the knee backward, so 
vol. v. o o 
