SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
481 
by a 5 grain solution of argentine nitrate and had a good recov¬ 
ery. Dr. William McEacliran read a paper on the subject of 
tetanus. He described very fully and graphically the history, 
causes, symptoms and treatment of the fearful malady. He 
spoke of the fatal character of the disease, and said that nothing 
makes us feel our helplessness in combating disease, and at the 
same time the terrible nature of disease, than to witness a noble 
horse die of tetanus. The agony which is depicted in every 
feature of the poor dumb creature pleads strongly for our help, 
but such help as we can give can only at most alleviate the suffer¬ 
ing except in rare cases. In speaking of the treatment, he stated 
that in this city during the past summer the majority of cases 
were due to injuries from picking up nails in the street, the re - 
suit of throwing ashes containing them on the streets. He recom¬ 
mended when a horse picked up a nail, that, the nail being 
extracted, the foot should be pared down and the soft parts ex¬ 
posed, so as to prevent any irritant remaining in the wound ; fol¬ 
lowing this, the wound should be poulticed and some sedative 
applied to allay irritation and pain. Owing to the high nervous 
excitement present, absolute rest and perfect quiet are essential. 
In speaking of the internal treatment, Dr. McEacliran stated that 
there was no remedy known which could be said to cure the dis¬ 
ease, though the whole pharmacopoea had been ransacked and 
tried in vain. The indications, however, were always to relax the 
spasms and allay the extreme pain which the animal suffered. 
The essayist had tried various remedies to effect this purpose, and 
was satisfied that belladonna, in the form of the solid extract 
gave the best results. Hypodermic injections he had found to 
cause such violent spasms that he had ceased to use them. He 
concluded by describing some of the cases which had come under 
his observation during the past twelve months, one of which was 
in the practice of the College, and had recovered. The sedative 
which had been used in this case was belladonna; and another 
case in the practice of Mr. Wm. Jaketnan, V.S., Halifax, had 
also recovered under the use of belladonna alternated with 
chloral hydrate. In the discussion which followed, Principal 
McEacliran and Mr. C. J. Alloway, Y.S., both related interesting 
