Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-02-22
Feeding Smutty Corn and Rusty
Straw.

EACH year, says the Western Rural,
more or less cattle become diseased from
eating the smutty ears of corn left in the
field at husking time; and, in winter,
from feeding upon rusty straw, much evil
results. Among the diseases which came
under the notice of Professor Gamgee,
the English veterinarian, who was en-
ployed by the Commission of Agricul-
ture of the United States to investigate
the ''splenic" or Texas fever in cattle, is
a report (only just published) on the "Ill
Effects of Smut" According to the
analysis of Dulong, given in the Journal
de Phdrmdcie, he found smut to contain
q material similar to fungine, material
allied to osmaZone, a nitrogcnous sub
stance, fatty matter, a waxy matter,
acids, brown coloring matter, free or
ganic acid, and combinations of this
acid with magnesia and potash; lastly, he
found phosphate, muriate and sulphate
OF potash, subphosphate of lime, sal am
moniac, and oxide of iron; it contained
no starch. The conclusion arrived at
was that the evident tendency was to de-
range the alimentary canal in the first
place, then to disturb the process of nu-
triton or assimilation; and, lastly, to ex-
cite the emunctories for the discharge of
noxious principles, more particularly by
inducing an excessive secretion of urine,
or by diarrhea. Upon the effects pro-
duced by feeding rusty straw, the testi-
mony was to the effect that deaths from
this cause were by those diseases which
always prevail when animals are badly
nourished, namely-stomach staggers,
collie, marasmus, glanders, farcy, skin
diseases, catarrhal affections, and pdmat-
Gus swellings.
The reports relating to the effects of
smutty corn are so important that we re-
produce them entire. The Professor says:
Cattle fed on smutty cornstalks first
denote ill-heaith by constipation. 1t is
true that farmer may be attracted only
by an animal lying down, with an un-
thrifty-looking, staring coat, and dry
muzzle, and perhaps trembling; or steer
may be noticed "tucked up" with hind
limbs drawn under, head depressed, shiv-
ering, dullness of eyes, and anxious ex-
preston of countenance In n third vari-
ETY. the animal seems excited, breathes
quickly, and is apparently somewhat de-
lirious-indeed, in the conditions de-
scribed by Mr.. Cumming, of Ellen, Aber-
deenshire, as resulting from impactions OF
the third stomach, as in cases of lead poi
soning, nothing is more strange than this
delirium, associated as il is sometimes
with blindness. 4 farmer writing me
from the West says that when he tried to
put rope around the head of a sick cow,
which he found standing with all the
symptoms of sickness presented by other
animals of the herd which had been with
her in the corn field, she turned and fought
furiously. / have seen an animal in this
condition, tied up in a stall, rush forward
fall on her knees, and then, extending her
self ON her side, suffer from convulsive
mt. In other cases, when attempts are
made to lead such animals about, they rur
forward, plunge, strike against any obsta
Gle, roar, moan, grunt in breathing, anC
appear to suffer acutely if touched or dis
turbed.
| 'In other words, with the impaction
of third stomach, which is the essentia
lesion of the disease, whether induced b.
smutty stalks, old indigestible stalks tina
have no smut, or other kind of food o
poison, there are two distinct condition
induced-the one of stupor, listlessness
| vertigo, and depression of spirits, ind
Gated by the animals standing sullenl
until they drop or are relieved; the secon,
is state of exquisite sensitiveness,
hyperRthesia of the skin and system ger
ally. The animals are not only excited
but in state of actual suffering, and di
very suddenly in state of coma or i
convulsions. The disease does not las
long. l have seen an animal linger Of
four or five days, but usually the Who'll
course of the malady is run in twenty-fou
to fortyeight hours. An animal firs
seems to show costiveness, with a DIR
mucus over the scanty excrement; and
although apparently undisturbed, an
even feeding, may be dead in twelve t
twenty-four hours.
The diagnosis of the disease at a
early period of its manifestations is there
fore important, and it rests on the know
edge of the manner in which animal
have been treated and fed (as the simu
taneous attack of several animals shows
and especially on the observations of
fact that have usually noticed, that tn
animals which have eaten most ravenou.
ly have been the first and most severel
affected. Old cattle may sometime
avoid the smutty food, and young animal
eat heartily; the latter will be found til
only ones to die"