Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

TETANUS, OB. LOCKED JAW. t 169
out any effect. The manner in which it is given may have some
influence. If there be great hurry to take advantage of the relaxation
of the spasm, and .pour down the whole drink quickly, in one body,
it is very likely to find its way into the paunch. If the medicine be
given a little at a time, or suffered to run gently down the throat, it,
will probably flow into the fourth stomach and the intestinal canal.
The bowels must be opened. After the first dose of Epsom salts
and Croton farina, half-pound doses of salts should be give,n every
but after the first day,
six hours until the desired effect is produced ;
the Epsom salts may be changed with advantage for common salt.
Injections should be administered every third hour, (four or six
quarts at least,) and in each half a pound of Epsom salts should be
dissolved. If four or six doses of medicine have been given, and the
animal continues constipated, the pulse, ear, and horn 'should be
examined as to the degree of fever ; and if any is indicated, and if
the pulse does not plainly denote debility, a second bleeding must be
resorted to, and carried on until the circulation is evidently affected.
If the animal still remains Constipated, the physic is accumulated
in the paunch ; and that stomach is not disposed to act. Strong
doses of aromatics and tonics must now be added to the physic, to
rouse the paunch to the expulsion of its contents, and should that
fail, recourse must be had to the stomach pump. The cesophagustube
must be introduced into the gullet, and carried down into the
rumen, and warm water must be pumped in until that stomach overflows
; and then the contents will either be vomited, or p%ss through
the third into the fourth stomach, and so into the intestines, and the
purgative effect will follow. This instrument is invaluable ; and
on the smallest farm, would soon repay the expense.
Purging being established, an attempt must be made to allay the
irritability of the nervous system by sedatives ; and the best drug,
and the mainly effectual one, is opium. The crude opium dissolved in
warm water, and suspended by means of dissolved gum or the yolk
of an egg, will be the preferable form in which to give it. The dose
should be a drachm three times every day, and increased to a drachm
and a half on the third day, if the effect of the smaller dose be not
evident. At the same time the action of the bowels must be kept
up by Epsom salts, common salt, or sulphur, and the proportions of
that the constitution
the purgative and the sedative must be .
shall be under the influence of both.
such
It may be necessary to suspend
the sedative for a dose or for a day, when costiveness threatens. The
animal should be supported by mashes, which it will sometimes eat,
or at least suck the moisture from ; and as soon as there is any
remission of the spasm, the beast may be turned in a field near at
hand during the day, and taken up at night.
f
A seton of black hellebore root in the dewlap may be of service.
It is introduced into a part not under the influence of the disease,
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