The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-19

Pvf John ColIett Describes the Cause and
Cure Of MilkSickness.

az notice" said Prof John Collett ex-State
Geoloeist who is a man of varied and profound
Information, chat the Chicago papers are giving
some attention to 'milksick and the News of that
city. think it was, had long article upon the
subject. 'Milksck' was terrible scourge forty
years ago when the country was new. Many
persons think it no longer exists; but it still pre-
walls, though not by any means with the virulence
shat characterized it In the days of the pioneers.
STILL it is deadly in its character to-day, and it's
cause no better understood now than forty years
ago. when the State of Kentucky offered re-
ward of $50, 900 for discovery of the cause OF
the disease. Similar rewards smaller IN amount,
were offered by farmers and stockmen IN lndl-
ana. Illinois and elsewhere.
The cause of 'milksick was a mystery that
puzzled and terrified the early settlers OF western
Indiana, southern Illinois. Kentucky, Missouri,
aad other States 1t was something that carried
off human beings by hundreds and thousands,
ard cattle also by thousands. 1t destroyed the
value of farms, and the owners of wide acres
lived in the fear of this dread and secret pesti-
isnee.
Horses, as well as cattle, were attacked by
always exempt from it. In cattle this disease
was contributed to human beings through milk,
butter and beef. The disease was assigned to
many causes. Some thought it due to gas,
ye. stake and rider or board fence would
mark its limitations. On one side the disease
would prevail in all deadlness, on the other side
there would be complete immunity. This showed
eoDclusively that it was not due to a gas waited
by the air. Others believed that it was ex-
haiation from the soil In other places springs
were believed to be the cause, but chemical
analysis would show the suspected water to be
wholesome. Particular spots that were pre-
sUned to be the habitat of the disease were
fenced up.
"After the gas and water theories were aban-
doned, careful observers like Michael Sullivan
Of Redroo4, H., and Judge John r. Porter,
OF Vermiion county, Indiana. found that milk
siek' did not prevail where autumnal fires had
rHn through the woods. This indicated a vege-
table origin of the disease. These and other
observers found the disease did not prevail
upon prairies swept by autumnal fires ignited
by lightning or by hunters. 1t was further
fUaDd that it did not prevail in overlooked bot
toms. All these things Strengthened the theory as
to the vegetable origin of the disease, and of
plant requiring more than one year for its life.
Experiments by DR.. Bassett, of Vandalia, ILL.,,
by Mr.. Brown of Sullivan county Indiana, by
the proprietor of Kirksville in Gibson county,
this State all tended to show that it was caused
by vegetable food Their experiments and
those Of many others in Wabash, Edwards and
othOr counties on the Little Wabash and EN-
barras rivers of Illinois, showed conclusively
that it was of vegetable origin.
1.-THE plant causing al! this dismay disaster
and death Is the eupatorium ageratoides,
known commonly as autumnal white bios
sazn, white-top white Virginia snake
root This weed contains a virulent poison
IN the autumnal season, but especially after the
FIRST frosts. 1t is not eaten by animals, except
when they are starved by drought or when
through excessive moisture grass does not grow.
Hogs and dogs will take the disease from eating
the carcasses of the animals that have persisted
by It, For ordinary animals, that is one
st0mached animals, the effect of the poison is to
produce, first, constipation and an infamma tory
action upon the stomach. Such animals includ-
ing man. are affected with terrible vomitings
and nhammatOry action upon the intestines
Animals with more than one stomach, like the
COW, do not and cannot vomit, and the poison is
carried off into their flesh, milk and but
ter. Man and all animals affected by
this disease have paralysis of the locomotor
muscles, and, consequently, when these muscles
are brought into active they become helDlessly
and hopelessly paralyzed. A aforementioned
horse, affected by this poison, if
driven rapidly half mile would stop, spread it's
feet and tremble in every fibre of its being. This
for one of the manifestations of this disease
Then with exhausted energy the stricken brute
would lie down to die
This disease also prevailed along the blue
range of the Apalachians from Virginia to
Georgia, and nowhere worse than in the Black
mountains Of Georgia and Carolina 1t
still prevails as / said before, though IN much
less degree and in modified form.
"Eupatorium ageratoides is a plant of the
composite order. 1t is biennial and is closely
allied to the boneset, so mueh used for it's medic
anal virtues, and is SO modest and simple as not
to attract attention. 1t grows upon the best
sIgar-tree and beech land, but may be subdued
By the pillow or by moving for two successive
years. No farmer has right to allow such a
vlruient poison to exist on his land. There is O.
great cutlery raised against the Canada thistle
by many who ignorantly pass by as harmless
this more pestterous plant Hundreds of cases
can be cited where people have needessly
exposed the lives of their families and their
stock to certain death This year cattle are
dying by the hundreds in Illinois of this disease
and 1t is doubtless prevailing in other States
where deaths of cattle and human beings are
attributed to other causes, IN many cases through
ignorance, and in others from mercenary mo-
tives, as the reputation of milk sick given to a
piece of land renders it valueess at once The
general cultivation of the land blowing has had
much to do with killing white-top. Another
reason for the disappearance of the disease
where it once prevailed, is that farmers
feed their stock better. They are fed
upon hay, grain and clover and are not left to
the wild heritage of the woods and waste places
"A perfect antidote for the trouble is to kill off
the cause, the eupatorium ageratoiGes. and this
csn be done with absolute certainty"
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