Year: 1879

OF all nervous diseases tclanus Is one Of
the most determined and Objectionable, 1t
is usually induced by ovcr-indulgcncc in
rusty nails or tish-hooks, and when it once
takes hold of patient it is nearly imposai-
bic to drive it away, One of its permanent
symptoms is the closing Of the jaws 80
tightly that they cannot be pried open with
a crowbar. When it is remembered that
women rs well rs mcn suffer from this dis
ease, its tremendously powerful nature be-
comes evident. Hitherto there has been no
remedy which could be regarded as spc-
cific for tetanus. In the last century the
usual treatment was to knock out few Of
the patients teeth. SO as to pour little bran
dy down his throat; and then to order his
collin. With the progress of medical science,
various other remedies were suggested,


among which the subcutaneous injection
of curare, a particularly deadly South
American vegetable poison, gave, on the
whole, the best results, and, frequently, so
far got the mastery over tctanus that it
killed the patient before tho disease could
kill him. At last, however, an ingenious
French physician has apparently hit upon
remedy before which tctanus yields as read
lily as toothache yields to the dentists for
cops, and which will of course, snpcrsedc
curarc and all other remedies. The French
doctor in question was called to attend a
lady suffering from tetanus. In his report
he says that she was married woman of
thirty-onc years of age, and that previous
to his visit her family physician had tried
every known romcdy for tctanlls, including
curare, without producing any effect. The
patient was lying on her back, with her
jaws tightly closed, and the muscles Of her
chest and throat were 30 rigid that she was
unable to utter a sound. Tho doctor at
once sent sut and procured live mouse of
the usual size and voraclty, to the tail of
which he attached strong horse hair.


Placing the mouse at the foot of the bed,
he permitted it to walk the entire length of
the patients body. No sooner did the pa
tient notice the mouse then she sprang up,
loudly calling to the attendants to take 1t
off, and denouncing the doctor as horrid,
heartless wretch, who ought to be ashamed
Of himself and guillotincd on the spot.
There was no recurrence of the symptoms
Of tetanus. In fact, the doctor adds that
the lady's jaws were so thoroughly and
permanently unlocked that the husband,
who is, Of course, ignorant of law, has
threatened to begin suit of damages
against him. The success of this expert
ment encouraged the doctor TO try the
mouse cure In other nervous diseases. lie
reasoned that the administration Of mice


powerfully stimulates the nerves Of fe-
male patient, and enables the nervous sys-
tenn to throw of any disease with which it
is afflicted Soon after the incident just
related he met with violent case Of hys-
terra. The patient, a. married lady Of
thirty-seven years, was subject to hysteri-
col attacks, but this particular ono was
of unprccedcnt violence. Among Its prom.
ncnt symptoms was an absence of whis-
ker on one side Of the husbands face, a
broken clock and an almost irroslstable
tendency on the part of the patient to lie
on the floor and kick the panelling of a
rosewood bookcase. The doctor at once
perceived that mice in strong doses were
indicated. He therefore ordered that q
mouse should be administered every ten
minutes until the violence Of tho attack
abate. The first mouse ran across the pa-