LANCASHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 737 
skins, given belladonna, &c., &c.; but die they would, and did. I 
heard of many cases being cured by homoeopathy; and my next case 
fell a victim to that system, although he lived about a month, and 
I was in hopes at one time that he would have got over it. I was, 
however, now convinced that, if tetanus was to be cured, it must be by 
quiet means, and that no system would succeed where the patient’s 
already overworked nervous system was continually excited with the 
administration of drugs, the irritation of blisters, or the continual 
necessity of going about him in any way. About that time I had the 
good fortune to meet with the late Mr. Poet, then veterinary surgeon 
to the 1st Dragoon Guards, and in the course of conversation on one 
subject and another, tetanus was discussed, and he told me that 
he had succeeded in saving his last six cases by the use of hydrocy¬ 
anic acid. I thought, even if I could have fifty per cent, of this 
amount of success, it would be a great advantage over mine ; and I 
determined to try it. My first case was a gray gig mare, about ten 
years old, the property of Messrs. Jessop, steel merchants. Dale 
Street, Manchester. This mare had broken her knees, and they 
were treating her themselves, and finding that she could not feed, 
nor get her head to the bucket to drink, I was sent for. I found 
her with all the symptoms of acute traumatic tetanus ; the jaws 
would open only about half an inch; she was rigid all over, and 
fearfully excited. The knees had rather a dry, inflamed, angry look, 
as if some astringent had been used to them. She was in an excel¬ 
lent isolated loose box, and I ordered her to be kept as quiet as 
possible, and that the box was not to be entered more than 
twice a day, and entry was to be made as quietly as possible, 
and every movement of the man in attendance was to be 
made slowly and softly, so that all cause of shock or fear should be 
avoided. She was ordered bran mashes with a little corn and 
carrots, with a fair allowance of hay, and a bucket of clean cold 
water hung up for her to drink when she liked. The knees were 
poulticed, and half a drachm of the hydrocyanic acid given night 
and morning, by means of a piece of gas-pipe about fifteen inches 
long. The manner of using this pipe was as follows :—A cork being 
put in one end, a little water was first poured in, then the acid, and, 
lastly, the tube was filled nearly full of water ; the head was then 
taken hold of and carefully lifted up as high as it could be got without 
distress to the animal, while the tube was introduced into the mouth, 
and when far enough in the cork was removed : the fluid disappeared 
at once from atmospheric pressure. I now use another and more 
scientific tube, which I have placed on the table for your inspection. 
It was invented and presented to me by my friend Mr. Brown, vete¬ 
rinary surgeon, Oldham. This treatment was continued for a few 
days before any marked change took place; but the improvement 
after that was gradual and satisfactory. The jaws had become a 
little more open ; she was not so easily frightened. The paroxysms, 
when she did have them, were less severe, and the body was alto¬ 
gether less rigid. She fed well, and greedily, and the bowels were 
acted on by the bran and carrots apparently as much as if she had 
been in a state of health. The knees were now dressed with arnica 
