Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-06-12
Some causes OF Animal Disea es.

Some Causes OF Animal pisea es.
Germantown Telegraph.
1t was formerly general belief, cspe
cially among farmers, that many diseases,
such as slabbering in horses, Staggers in
sheep, and many diseases in cattlo were
produced by certain weeds or herbagc in
the food, especially the pasture they con-
sumed. 1t may be that in some cases it is
so, and in fact we are quite confident that
slabbers are caused by certain weeds III
August pastures, il not by some of the
early autumn grasses. Still, with the
progress of discovery it has been found
that plants are not nearly so much t.
blame as we one time supposed. 1t was
for instance once an almost universal belief
that the Texan cattle fever was brought
about by some small fungoid vegetation
which existed in tho Texas prairies but
a commission appointed by the Depart
ment of Agriculture, went to Texas and
reported that there was nothing whatever
to warrent the popular belief. So with
the staggers in sheep, which SO often
proves fatal disease, and subjects sheep
raisers to great loss. Ii was common to
attribute it to plants and which was cal
led by the sheep-brceders stagger- bush on
this account. Besides this, various other
plants in other sections have been sup
posed to produce the samo disease. But
row it is known very clearly that no plapt
has anything to do with it, but that ii
results from a small wormy parasite, which
after developing in its early stages in the
stomach of the animal, works its way to
the head and feeds Oh the sleeps brains
All this is we'll known now, but it is not
so we'll known how these parasites are
produced, and are scattered about SD as to
be introduced into places which were once
free from it. TIE clue was furnished
sOme few years ago in The case of the
trichine at work. 1t was found that :,
parasite often found a home in tho flesh
of the hog. and fearful results followed Oh
the human frame in mary cases. There
was no doubt but the very same insect
could be communicated from the animal
eaten to the human system. But suose
quent experiments proved without the
slightest doubt that high heat totally de
stroyed the enemy aud that therefore meat
that was thoroughly cooked was innocuous.
Since then it has been placed beyond qucs
tiOn that some other fearful parasites that
once in a while infcst the human system,
come from imperfectly cooked beef. Raw
beef cures have been popular with some
upuICdt iuCHulCttlts, stHu Iuc paFIS1teS
which have followed haze been a mat, g:
of calculation with no doubt as to the
origin.
The great question has been how these
troublesome things first get into these an.
imals. Some time ago, in some anatomical
lectures in Philadelphia, DR.. Joseph
Leidy, who probably stands at the head
of his branch of science in this coun ~,
gave it as result of his own personal
researches, that the animals which eat
raw meat-cats, dogs, and-so forth-take
in the eggs with the raw meat they eat,
which pass though theirsystem unchanged
and that then the eggs become scattered
eventually among the heritage aud again
are taken into the system of herbivOrous
animals; and in this way plants are often
blamed for results which really are in no
way connected with them. DR.. l. is
strongly of opinion that where flccks and
herds are followed as business, no her
bivorOus animal that may be connected
with the establishment should be fed on
raw food, but that tho meat they eat
should be as we'll cooked for them as for
human beings.
How far these views may be true or not
We are unable to say but as the result of
the studies of one of the best scientists
and most thoughtful men of the day, thew
are worthy of respect. These diseases are
very troublesome when they once get into
lot of cattle, and any simple thing which
does not take much time or money to
attend to, is usually we'll worth observ
ing.