TRISMUS. 
257 
the horse’s, mouth when he drives in the stable. That peculiar 
clonic spasm of the diaphragm commonly known as u thumps ” 
is frequently present to a marked degree, but I have known nu¬ 
merous cases in which it was entirely absent. The pulse is 
accelerated, and the temperature elevated sometimes as much as 
seven or eight degrees. 
Unless the merciful intervention of the vis medicatrix na- 
tui-a, or the efforts of the attending veterinarian have produced 
some amelioration of the symptoms described, these are quickly 
followed by more serious ones. The uneasiness and excitement 
increases, and manifests itself by a desire to keep constantly on 
the move in the limits of the area in which the animal is con¬ 
fined. It never assumes a recumbent posture, keeping stub¬ 
bornly on its feet, and only goes down when too exhausted to 
stand any longer, and as a rule never rises again. In addition to 
the contraction of the masseter and other muscles of mastication, 
we now notice that nearly all the muscles of the body are in a 
state of tonic spasm. This is usually more particularly notice¬ 
able in those of the hind extremities, but its general effect is 
best shown in the gait of the animal. It moves around almost 
as if his legs had been replaced by stilts, and it might be sup¬ 
posed that all the joints in his limbs were anchylosed. The re¬ 
sult of this is a peculiar stumbling, jerking gait, and I have 
seen it to such a pronounced degree that were it not for the loss 
of flexion in the hocks, the jerking of the hind limbs might be 
mistaken for an exaggerated case of stringhalt. The perspira¬ 
tion streams from every pore, and the breathing, especially 
those cases in which the diaphragm is involved, becomes 
quick and laborious. There seems to be an uncontrollable de¬ 
sire for the animal to keep in motion, and even if he be hal¬ 
tered up the limbs seem automatically to keep up the inco- 
ordinated movements of which I have spoken. The sudation 
and dyspnoea increase, and the animal, with distended nostrils 
and streaming with perspiration, stands a picture of agony and 
distress until death relieves him of his suffering. 
In those cases in which recovery takes place the restlessness 
