tet'anus

[L. G. tetanos, tension.] i. An infectious disease marked by painful tonic muscular contractions; it i6 caused by the toxin (tet a no spasm in) of Bacillus tetani acting upon the central nervous system; see emprosthotonos, opisthotonos, and pleurothotonos. 2. A tonic muscular contraction, ^especially one induced by an electrical current, acous'tic t., experimental t. induced by a faradic current, the speed of which is estimated by the pitch of the vibrations, an'odal clo's ure t., a tetanic muscular contraction occurring during the time the circuit is closed, the current then rimning, while the positive pole is applied, an'- odal o'pening t., a tonic contraction in a muscle, to which the anode is applied, when the circuit is opened, apyret'ic t., benign t., tetany, cath'oda clo's ure t., a tetanic muscular contraction 9ccurring during the time the circuit is closed, the current then running, while the negative pole applied, cath'odal o'pening t., a tonic contraction in a muscle, to which the cathode is applied, when the circuit is opened, cephal'ic t., tonic spasms following injury to the facial nerve. cer'ebral t., (i) cephalic t. (2) experimental t. produced in animals by an; injection of tet a no spasm in into the brain substance, drug t., tonic spasms caused by strychnine or other tetanic.