TETANUS. 
487 
trying to gain notoriety and prominence of consideration in a 
bacterial outcast of fine intellectual attainments, sufficient for us 
to sway and vanish our views, which are possibly, in a measure, 
correct. Nevertheless this germ theory deserves to be praised, 
in which it has been an advantage and highly beneficial to the 
medical science, and without a thorough knowledge of bacteri¬ 
ology, it would, indeed, be difficult for us to practice successfully 
the art and science as veterinarians. 
Then these approximated views, regardless of proof sufficient 
to sustain any investigation to which it might be subjected, are 
to be regarded, perhaps, as an imposition, otherwise than to 
receive our endorsements. 
In conclusion, I think it policy to refer to the metostosis and 
the death pending, as to its actual cause, knowing that a short 
time before death the temperature is enormously increased ; then 
death quickly ensues, which leads us to suspect that within the 
system there is something of a degenerative nature, which com¬ 
pels us to believe that tetanus is a septic character. Then we 
must respond satisfactory to the fatality and sudden death. 
Take the toxic conditions of the muscles, due to the periferal 
ends of the exposed nerves, which would cause excruciating 
pain sufficient to increase the difficult and rapid respirations, so 
as to prevent the required amount of oxygen for the supply of 
the system, then it is not beyond our knowledge of comprehen¬ 
sion that we could easily have death from the absorption of car¬ 
bonic acid gas, or mechanical asphixia. Again, the sudden 
changes, due to the rapid burning of the tissues, is corroberated 
by the intense thirst and bodily heat which would undoubtedly 
increase the temperature to such a degree that death would 
quickly ensue from degeneration and “ coaglation of the albu¬ 
men contained in the blood,” after which life is utterly impossible. 
If this is doubted, then our physiologists are wrong. How¬ 
ever, I believe them correct, but must admit that cases are on 
record where the temperature ranges comparatively high during 
the advancement of certain diseases. Nevertheless we must 
observe that they are of a fatal nature ; then if you feel disposed 
