ON THE TREATMENT OF TETANUS. 
543 
bone on the off hind pastern : she was exceedingly lame ; and had 
been blistered repeatedly with no good effect. I told him that it 
would be advisable; to excise a portion of the nerves going to the 
foot: he most willingly assented to have the operation performed. 
I excised a portion of the metatarsal nerves, and ordered the 
wound to be treated accordingly. The reason why I did not di¬ 
vide the nerves immediately below the bifurcation, was on account 
of the ringbone being so large and extensive; indeed it was 
nearly impracticable. I did not hear the result of the operation 
until my return to England, which was a short time since. My 
acquaintance informs me, that the lameness began to diminish 
about three hours after the operation was performed; in three 
days there was a total cessation of lameness. As soon as the 
wounds healed he put her to active work ; she appeared to be per¬ 
fectly upright; he raced her three times, and then sold her. She 
is now performing active service, and quite free from lameness. 
I could enumerate several successful cases of neurotomy, but this 
will suffice. 
Barrington, Gloucestershire, Sept. 1831. 
i v 
ON THE TREATMENT OF TETANUS. 
By Mr. W. Simpson. 
Although, as an abstract principle, I cordially subscribe to 
the opinion, that one unsuccessful case contributes more to the 
advancement of pathological knowledge than many successful 
ones; yet, like other rules, it admits of exceptions, and amongst 
those exceptions I would rank many cases of tetanus, inasmuch 
as it is a disease affording few post-mortem morbid appearances, 
and whose favourable termination must almost invariably be at¬ 
tributed to the remedial means adopted. This circumstance 
prompts me to offer an account of two successful tetanic cases 
occurring in the practice of Mr. Geo. Carruthers, of Lancaster, 
who has kindly permitted me to make them public; which I 
shall do in his own words, reserving for myself the privilege of 
appending such remarks as a consideration of the cases may sug¬ 
gest:— 
“ On the lltli of May 1828, I was requested to see a two- 
year-old colt, belonging to Mrs. Patrickson, of this town, which I 
found with all the ordinary symptoms of tetanus ; the jaws nearly 
closed—muscles generally rigidly contracted—the membrana 
nictitans covering a great portion of the eye, &,c. &c. Upon in¬ 
quiry, it appeared that the colt had been docked nearly a month 
