The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-03-09
CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

ITHACA, N. Y, Jan. 1st. 1888.
ALoNzo CHASE, EsQ.-DEAR Sic 81 have
read carefully the description Of the cattle
disease on Mr.. Woods place 1t Kenosha,
Wis, and recognize in it what Is Familiarity
known in the west as g. Mad Itch" This is
unquestionably disease of the brain, aeso.
ciated with digestive disorder The sim
FACTION Of the manifolds" will be found in
every case. portions of the contents being
often SO dry as to be readily broken down
into powder, while the folds when Invested
of the firmly adherent contents will present
red streaks and blotches.
A special inquiry would be requisite TO
ascertain how much of the brain congestion
was dependent on the arrangement of the
gastric digestion. It might be due to il al
together, the disorder Of the stomachs hav-
ing resulted from eating dead withered
6brous grass which has only been browsed
when the fresh green autumn growth has
grown up among it; from sudden change
to the dry fodder; from change to the
6brous stalks or corn fodder; from eating
seeds Of certain grasses that have run to
seed, but are not yet thoroughly matured and
cured especially rye grass, Hungarian grass,
wheat, barley, CORN; from eating fodder
that has been allowed to become musty, or
from dearth of water. especially when up
on dry feeding; but much more commonly,
and in my experience in all cases, in which
the violent brain symptoms that have given
rise to the name of :" Mad Itch," the i'm
mediate cause of the disease has been
" smut in corn fed continuously for some
time an dry condition and usually at season
When aodte~ IS scarce. The smut not only
causes torpor, congestion and paralysis OF
the stemachs, but it affects in similar
manner all the Involuntary muscles through
out the body. Thus in the depth of winter,
when supplemented by cold, it often deter
mines gangrene and loss of the extremities
in the warm season. on the other hand, it is
liable to lessen the blood supply in the brain
by contraction Of the smaller blood vessels,
AMI brings about lethargy, stupor, coma, or
delirium in various forms. In pregnant ami.
mails the Involuntary muscular fbres of the
womb may be most prominently implicated,
resulting in abortion.
Now, doubtless this will be met by the
statement. that, in the same locality in other
years and in other herds, smut" has been
harmless. Let it be noted that smut varies
much in strength, according as it has been
grown under differing conditions of sun
shine, air, soil, plants, &c., SO that the same
quantity will not always produce the same
effect. Again smut is always most energetic
in its actions when given dry and with little
water. Fed soaked in water, or with an
abundance of succulent roots or vegetables,
it rarely does any harm, whereas, if given
dry, it might be most deadly. "Smut' is
less injurious about September and October,
when it has attained its maximum growth,
and before it has become quite dried and
largely shaken from the stalks by wind and
handling. or washed off by rains Thus the !
same stalks which prove hurtful in autumn |
may at times be harmless in winter. Con
versely, cattle having an ample supply of
water may eat it with IMMUNITY in autumn,
but succumb TO it LATER when the water sup. |
ply has been frozen up, and when drink can |
only be had for short time after the ice |
had been broken, daily CT even less fire..
quently.
According to this view. the protection of |
The cattle in future will depend on treating
The seed corn with strong solution of blue
stone (sulphate Of copper before planting
N allowing as free circulation Of air in
he corn Gelds as possible; in removal of
my undue shade on the corn and avoiding
In exclusive diet of corn stalks strongly
charged with smut feeding ao,th the ears on,
ls MIR. Torrey has done, ensures the feeding
If all the smut. which grows mostly on the
,ars) in giving the corn stalks, an abundant
upply of water, and, if available, liberal
allowance of pumpkins, turnips, or other
ucculent vegetables (ensiage would be
uitable). I may add that an allowance of
alt which would tempt the animals 10 drink
more freely or more frequently would seem
with the same sense, little
,lauber salts in the food would De useful in
correcting any tendency to impaction in the
tomachs or any topor of the bowels, and
detention of the smut in thu system.
l have no doubt that by attention to these
oints the disease may be safely warded of
q the future. Yours faithfully,
JAMES LAW.