710 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
diffused to all parts of the earth, and,occurs in manure, rich 
garden earth, and in fact every where the air cannot penetrate. 
It is said that the presence of the germ has been revealed in 
the intestines of herbivora, and this may be an explanation of 
the cause of the so-called cases of idiopathic tetanus, the 
enemy gaining entrance by means of a wound in the intestinal 
wall. When the tissues are bruised and torn their vitality is 
lessened and a condition exists which is favorable to the growth 
of the bacillus of tetanus. But should the wound be sharply 
defined, the surrounding tissues uninjured, and the arterial 
blood flow freely, then unfavorable conditions exist for its 
growth, as the oxygen contained in the vital fluid tends to de¬ 
stroy the germs, and the migratory cells from the surrounding 
healthy tissues come forth to combat the enemy. When the 
bacilli find a medium suitable for their growth they form a 
poison called toxin, which is the agent that causes the svmp- 
tomatic muscular contractions. The bacillus does not cause the 
tetanic convulsions except in an indirect manner, that is, by 
the production of the poison or toxin, which acts as an irri¬ 
tant to the system. If the system possesses sufficient vitality 
to resist the effects of the toxin for a length of time, a 
material called antitoxin is formed by it, which neutralizes 
the effects of the toxin. If then we supply the system with 
antitoxin we fortify it with the material it craves to combat 
the germ poison. So that by the use of prepared antitoxin 
we can supply the system in several days with a material it 
requires months to form, granted It can resist the action of 
the virulent poison of the germs so long. 
The case about to be described is not cited simply because 
the animal recovered, as I have had several cases recover by 
medicinal treatment alone; but because the effects of the 
material were almost immediate, while by the old methods it 
required months sometimes to produce the same results. 
Case. —A chestnut pony gelding used in a grocer}^ wagon 
received a wound in the neck from a rusty nail sticking out of 
a board in the stall. In about nine days afterwards the man 
in charge noticed a slight stiffness during locomotion, but it 
was not thought serious and the animal was kept at work 
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