Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-09
FARM AND GARDEN.
FRIGHTENED cows AND BAD MILK.

A correspondent of the Rural Ne1o
Yorker makes the following statement:
We have a COW that gives good rich
milk which we use freely in the family.
A few days ago she was badly fright
ened by dogs, one of which caught her
by the nose a short time before the
time for milking, and the younger
children that partook of her milk
were affected with arrangement of the
bowels, which we attributed to the
milk. As no such trouble has been ex-
perienced before or since from the use
of this cows milk, and as we know of
no cause other than fright to affect the
milk, the thought has occurred that thfs
was the cause. Does the frightening Of
a COW ever affect her milk.
The editor of the dairy department
of the Rural NeU Yorker an
swers Eyes; fear or any nervous
agitation of the COW influences
more or less the healthfulness of
her milk for the time being" This
opinion is unquestionably well founded,
and leads TO curious and important
physiological considerations. Milk
that suddenly causes arrangement Of
the bowels is poisoned, and may, and
sometimes does, produce poisoned
cheese. Fat cattle, worried and fright
ened badly before being slaughtered,
have furnished injured, if not poisoned
meat.
Prof. Horsford, an eminent chemist
In Cambridge University, has given an
account of the changes In muscular
fiber by nervous agitation in animals
slaughtered for beef. He has shown
that in the frightened animal there
was not only a disiptegration of the
fiber, but also a chemical de-
composition of the substance Of
which the fiber is composed,
causing it to lose its nutritious
-.-~-=--Az6- accordingly impairing it's
value as an article Of food. He cites
many instances showing how the
strength and healthfulness of muscle
are diminished by pain, fear or fright,
experienced by animals Immediately
previous to death, in a softening of
the muscular tissues and in producing
such a change IN their composition, as
well as in the composition Of the
juices that are IN conjunction with
them, as is effected by fermenta-
ton. The chemical substance may
all remain, but they have arranged
themselves in new forms Of combina-
ton, which are less fitted for the pur-
pose Of ministering TO the wants Of
man.
From the above facts it is easy to
understand how the mind and physical
comfort or disquietude Of man and
beast may affect the blood and all Sc
cretions, such as bile in the liver, milk
in the tactical gland, and all brains
nerve, muscle and bone material, as a
vital and controlling power.
Madness and insanity run into each
other, aggravated by nervous sensibili-
", fright, defective food, drink, or
both, excessive heat, or unknown
causes, deranging at once allthat feels,
or acts, or thinks In organic life. To
produce the best ANNA! food, ike milk,
cream, butter. cheese and meat, is
not so easy 4 matter as many
suppose. All these very compound
substances are extremely prone to
chemical changes, in which many
poisons may be found and largely de-
veloped either directly or indirectly.
Human insanity and love of excite
ment appear to be on the increase in
this country, which quiet farming is
most likely to calm and remove, if any
thing can cure them.