Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-04-05
MIlK-SICKNESS.
WASHINGTON, d. c., March %, Il

WAsnINoToN, ID. c., March %, 1867.
Mr.. Editor-In the Americaa Of the
ED | see that Mr.. Jerry of Illinois has
at last discovered the cause Of milk -sick-
ness, and that he is fully convinced in
his own mind on the subject. This an
nouncement calls 10 my mind "scrap Of
history" l do not wish to gather fruits
from z. +. C.'s field, but I expect he doesn't
know of this. He will therefore excuse
me for reminiscing, if thereby l can throw
any light on the milk.s sick mystery. The
Summer of 1887 was an unusually dry one.
Pasture dried up. Springs dried up. Ev-
erything went dry. My father was CON-
PEELED to turn all his stock out, that it
might find water and live in the woods, as
the pasture was gone. AS a consequence
OF something, twenty-five of his cattle and
two colts died. | atlempteda post niortem
on one Of the cattle soon after death, but
putrifaction progressed so rapidly that
my pursuit Of the morbid anatemy in the
case was arrested before l discovered the
cause of the milk-sickness. The plague
was not confined to our cattle alone, but
many others died. The disease prevailed
also through our State and in Illinois and
Ohio.
A gentleman of Illinois, who had for
mcrly lived near, or at Urbana' Ohio, and
who was interested in investigations Of
this character, gave himself to the investi-
cation Of tho cause Of milk-sickness dur.
ing this year. | refer to Mr.. 7. s. Hinde,
an acquaintance Of Mr.. j. w. Hit. Mr..
Hinde thought he discovered the mystery,
and communicated with Mr.. Hit aud my
father. lie had made his observations
and experiments cautiously, and came to
his conclusion, not as un enthusiast, but
as n careful observer. lie found the cause
existing in a creeping vine something sim
liar to tho poison-oak (ioricodendroa) /
forget now the botanical name of this fatal
vine. Mr. Ilinde enclosed in n letter
some leaves, and so minute and careful
description that we had no difficulty in
finding that the vine abounded in our
woodlands and pastures skirting the woods
and beautifully in the woods South and
Southeast of Mr.. Colcscott's farm, where
our cattle had gone for water aud to browse
after we had turned them out OF course
the great difficulty was solved, aud my
father put oil Of his force at once TO the
task OF DISCRIMINATING the pest from all
his enclosures. We worked at il for days,
and | think went all over the fields and
found the vinei sufficient quantity to pro-
duce any required amount of milk.siek-
ness.
In the meantime, calf that was accus-
toned to run and half live on the parched
commons about town where there was no
poison vine, was bought for $3.50 by n
joint stock company, just for the cruel
purpose Of giving il the milk.sick, by
shutting it up where it could not get any
thing to eat. and then feeding it on moth
ing but poison vine. Science must some
times do cruel things, such as holding
snakes over the fire until they stick out
their feet, &c. The calf was penned.
We carried in great loads of the vine as
we camc from our work at night / was
appointed commissary, with orders to issue
rations literally. The calf accepted the
situation, and ate ss If tired Of life and
eager to be killed by that treatment. In
terested parties visited it. Knowing ones
could soou sec milk. sick in its eyes, and
could certainly smell the peculiar smell ac-
case Of the terrible disease
(That is the way many people know case
of milksick-smell it, though often get
mistakenly The calf, however, would not
so much US get sick enough to "trimble,"
though that symptom Of approaching
dissolution was noticed by few Of the
visitors. The calf kept eating until it i'm
proved in flesh aud manifested decided
qualification when the commissary boy
brought its rations. After carrying the
experiment so far as TO see marked i'm
provemeut in the Aeshy condition of the
calf, wo turned il out again to grass, and
il showed its appreciation Of the kindness
bestowed upon It, by staying close about
It's pen and begging to be killed more.
think il reverted to its original owner, as
the enormous price Of $3.50 was only TO
DO paid in case Of its death. !