As all people, however, may not live where solitude can be commanded; then, give the purgative, render the room dark, and allow as few curious visitors as the pleading of sincerity cannot prevent intruding upon the sick and disabled quadruped. Pulling the animal about to administer medicine seems to do more harm than the most powerful drugs can counteract. Permit no blisters; sanction no firing: counter-irritants, however beneficial in other cases, are positive irritants, when applied to a body nervously excited to the highest degree. Grant permission for no operation to be performed, as any person of ordinary imagination may picture the effect of bustle, followed by sharp pain, upon a creature which cannot endure even the slightest sound.
Should, however, the case last so long as to warrant fear of the life sinking through starvation, food may be given even in quantities. Blood-warm linseed gruel should be procured—a gallon will be sufficient. The horse could swallow more; but after a prolonged fast there is danger in loading the stomach. Fix the horse catheter to the stomach-pump; then place the free end of the catheter in the nostril of the quadruped and push it forward, having previously slightly bent the end of the tube downward. Should the insertion provoke coughing, withdraw the catheter and commence afresh. Two feet of the instrument having disappeared, and no alarming symptom being present, begin to pump; do this as fast as possible, till the gallon of linseed gruel has been exhausted: such a resort is, however, better adapted to tetanus of the chronic description.
THE MODE OF FEEDING A HORSE WITH CHRONIC TETANUS.
When applied to the acute form of the disorder, it is too apt to induce violent spasm. The acute disease, however, speedily terminates, and positive starvation is all but impossible during its brief continuance.
STRINGHALT.
Stringhalt is the imperfect development of that form of disease which, in man and in dogs, is called chorea, or St. Vitus's dance. In dogs it jerks the whole body, even to the face. The lower jaw will continue moving and the eye twitching, while the animal is prostrate and asleep. In the horse, however, it is seen only in the hind extremities. In the dog it will continue during progression, sometimes shaking the creature from its balance, and it often terminates in death. In the horse it is never fatal; and, save when about to start, is seldom to be detected. Then it causes the hind limbs to be quickly raised in succession. The movement is rapid, full of energy, and entirely involuntary. These motions over, the horse proceeds, nor is the symptom usually witnessed again till the animal has once more to start; although a few exceptional cases are on record where stringhalt was perceptible at every step.
A HORSE HAVING STRINGHALT MUST MAKE SEVERAL INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS WITH THE HIND LEGS BEFORE IT CAN PROGRESS.
Guilford, the racer, exhibited the disease in its worst form. In that animal, stringhalt was present in such severity as prevented the signal being obeyed before the several eccentric movements had been performed. The horse was esteemed good for its purposes; but the ground lost at starting gave away its chances, and it was consequently sold. From the pampered stable of the race-horse, it descended rapidly through various grades until the creature came to be harnessed to a London omnibus. While in that position, the disease was so aggravated that the pastern used to hit violently against the belly, till the hair of both was partially removed by the repeated blows. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty then purchased the miserable carcass for three pounds, and had the life and the suffering extinguished.