Under the various names of tetany, tetanella, idiopathic muscular spasm, and carpo - pedal spasm, we find described a variety of cases which have, as prominent symptoms, more or less tonic contractions of the muscles of various parts of the body, beginning usually at the extremities and passing, in somewhat regular succession, to the muscles of the body and head. The consciousness of the individual is not disturbed during the paroxysm.
The symptoms of this disease trench closely on those of a number of the functional neuroses; and it is probable that many of the cases reported under this heading are really spasms due to reflex irritation, caused by teething or a disordered condition of the alimentary canal; or to irritation produced in the nerve-centres by the distal ends of nerves, leading to them, being involved in cicatrices or other inflammatory products; these cases are permanently cured by removing the