Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1898 [PAGE 228]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

228

UNIVERSITY O F I L L I N O I S .

[ M a r c h 8,

I transmit without recommendation, except as to the interest and value of the subject, the report of Dr. Mcintosh giving results of work upon tetanus. Professor Davenport, Dean of College of Agriculture, SIR:—I submit to you the following report of the work done in the experiments on guinea pigs, rabbits, and horses. Dr. Burrill very kindly supplied me with bacillus tetani. December 20th I inoculated two guinea pigs, which died in sixty hours, after the operation without showing any of the signs of lock jaw. On the 26th of December I inoculated a horse with the bacillus tetani and at' the end of the second week the muscles of the hind parts became stiff and tetanized. The following day the jaws were locked. He could drink but could not eat any food. By the end of the third day all the muscles of the body were tetanized, showing all the symptoms of lock jaw with the exception that touching him would not produce any extra spasms and that the membrane of the eye was not protruded over it, which is always the case in tetanus brought on by injuries. The horse got only one dose of the bromide of potassium as he would not drink although he could swallow. I tried injections of the medicine per rectum but he would not retain them. The horse continued in a tetanic condition for a week, and as I could not get him to take the medicine I considered it advisable to destroy him. In the rabbits so far I have not been able to produce tetanus; but Dr. Burrill is preparing some fresh material and when it is ready 1 shall try again. The bacillus tetani killed the guinea pig so quickly that we had not time to try the bromide of potassium. The horse is our best subject, but I have found great difficulty in getting horses at a price I could afford to pay for them and am waiting an opportunity to get some more. I have had two cases of tetanus in the country caused by injuries; one of them got completely well in four days by the bromide treatment; the other one is somewhat better and I think will recover. The object of the experiment is to find out for a fact if the bacillus tetani obtained from the earth is the cause of tetanus and, if so, whether or not the bromide of potassium will cure it. From what I have done I am convinced that the bromide of potassium, if a sufficient quantity can be taken by the horse, will cure nearly every case, and if so that it should be used for the cure of tetanus in the human being. I have thirty-five dollars of the money allowed me still on hand, but as we would require, say ten or fifteen horses, to make our experiment of importance, I shall need some more money. I consider this a very valuable experiment, since nothing of the kind has as yet been undertaken. Eespectfully submitted,

D. MCINTOSH.

The following estimates are to cover the' work as outlined for the coming quarter and it is asked that appropriations of Station funds be made to meet them.