38° 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
work in demonstrating to us the presence of the bacillus tetanus in different soils. e 
found upon examination of forty-seven different soils from different countries that 
twenty-three contained the bacillus. From the various clippings I have here presented 
I think we can be safe in arriving at the following conclusions; first, that tetanus is 
a specific infectious disease; second, that the specific germ does exist outside the animal 
economy; third, as the germ is found in the soil, dry dust, manure, etc., it is quite 
difficult to determine from where it first takes its departure. The observations of 
Sarmoni should not be overlooked in regards the action of the intestinal secretions upon 
the bacillus, he says he has caused herbiverous and carniverous animals to swallow 
pure cultures of the bacilli, by this means he came to the following conclusions: first, 
the flesh of animals that-have died from tetanus can be eaten with impunity; second, 
the microbe of tetanus can pass through the alimentary canal of carniverous and herb¬ 
iverous animals without causing any symptom of the disease; third, the digestive se¬ 
cretions of these animals neither kill or in anyway alter the bacillus; fourth, an amma 
can swallow a dose of tetanic virus two thousand times greater than that which is 
sufficient to kill if injected subcutaneously. The traumatic form is due to a wound or 
abrasion in the skin or mucous membrane; tetanus usually follows in from two to twenty 
days after the germ is introduced. The reason for the variable length is, first, t e 
number of germs introduced; second, the advantages given the germ. It may follow 
castration, tail docking, etc. I have seen it follow the operation of umbilical hernia 
in a colt. Intestinal parasites may also be mentioned as a cause. After the micro¬ 
organism gains entrance to a wound the heat and moisture as I have already men 
tioned arouses it to increased action. As the germ itself remains near the seat of intro¬ 
duction it is now believed that the product of the germ or ptomaine, as it is properly 
called is the cause of the disease, inasmuch as these ptomaines are taken into the 
circulation and in some way poison the blood, this in turn so affects the nervous system 
as to cause rigidity of the muscles as characteristic of the disease. 
The idiopathic is caused by exposure to cold rains, or extreme heat, it may follow 
a mild case of sun-stroke. I have seen a case of trismus brought on by animal being 
overworked on a hot day; this case recovered entirely within three days. 
I do not think it necessary to take up valuable time in giving the semiology of this 
disease, for I do not consider it a difficult disease to diagnose after an ordinary ex¬ 
amination. 
The prognosis of the traumatic form is usually unfavorable, if the attack is very 
mild we may say the animal has even chances. The idiopathic form nearly always 
terminates favorably. When death takes place in either form it usually occurs in from 
two to ten days, either by complications of the pulmonary apparatus or from nervous 
exhaustion brought on by continual muscular rigidity or from hyperpyrexia associated 
with an elevation of temperature to such a degree that the organic functions of the 
heart and lungs are involved and finally cease. 
Prof. Williams says that in post-mortems performed on animals which have died 
from traumatic tetanus he invariably found the nerves leading from the injured parts 
to present signs of inflammation, the neurolemma is more vascular than normal, the 
vessels of the spinal cord are engorged and the sub-arachnoid space contained effusion. 
I will now say a few words about the treatment of this disease. In regards to this 
I have nothing new to offer. These cases are usually well advanced before we are 
called, at least I have fouud it that way. I have tried several different courses of 
