486 
W. CARNES. 
which I have fairly dealt with this subject, and consider it use¬ 
less to expaciate further or discuss the minute details and hu¬ 
miliate the microscopical pathology, except the exceedingly rare 
trace of this exhumed and post-mortem germ. Never to date 
has a microscopist publicly announced or satisfactorily proven 
that he was able to find any lesions of importance, and this being 
void it might lead one to suspect that they are inert, or we 
would surely have softening and degeneration of the surround¬ 
ing tissue. Take into consideration the obscurity, and possibly 
you will yield sufficiently to bear me out in some of my remarks 
upon this mysteriously and difficult subject. No doubt cases 
have often came under your observation, with symptoms aggra¬ 
vated by excitement totally void of abrasions, which compelled 
you to diagnose tetanus idiopathic, in order to corroborate our 
text books ; on the other hand, let there be a wound ; refer to 
vour treatment, especially the former, and did you ever treat 
this disease antiseptically, or with the view of destroying anv 
micro-organism whatever ? Emphatically no ! it is the least of 
our intentions, as our treatment depends solely upon nerve 
sedatives, quietude and support of the system. On the contrary, 
if these germs were present as in septycema, there would be 
some effort in this respect, if only a desired act of determination 
toward their destruction in tetanus, is no more nor less than 
numerothesis, or a degeneration of the motor functions, due to a 
moi bid excitement 01 the motor nerves, of which the sensory 
are of a secondary character, more prevalent in hot than in 
temperate climates, influenced by cold and wet weather, choos¬ 
ing for their victims the vigorous and masculine sex ; this I can¬ 
not account for, unless one Avould believe that tetanus was an 
effection, peculiarly adapted to a certain class of animals other 
than a disease known as specific and contagious. 
Then our clydesdates, with their sluggish circulation and in¬ 
active nervous centers in a tetanic locality, would behoove us 
financially, as veterinarians, to immediately emigrate. Viewed 
in this light, there seems to be no deffinite or fixed foundation 
other than a rumored supposition approved by men evidently 
