The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1888-05-02
The Unnamed Horse Disease"

,,s,.t.s y,, BozEMAN. Mont, April IS.
Editor Husbandman
Ihave received letter from Mr.. Lewis,
of the Lewis Live Stock Compay, Fort
Logan, Montana in which he wrote me a
history of the unknown horse disease"
in his herd. He desired an explanation
as to why horses could accumulate flesh
and keep fat for months, in some cases. |
and yet have the virus of this disease
in them. He desires to know how long
the disease stayed in band, and alsu how
he would manage his horses 80 as to
avoid it in the future.
The history of Mr.. Lewis case shows
two things: First, that the horses con-
tracted the disease on his mountain
range. Second, that his horses did not
communicate the disease to any others,
though they had ample opportunities to
| do SO, which later shows in this, as in
other cases, the disease is not contagious.
The fact that horses can accumulate
flesh and yet have the virus of the dis
ease in their system is one of the peculi.
arities. There was one well authenticat-
ed case, in which the horse had the well
known symptoms, and after severe at.
tack he apparently got well, accumulated
flesh, was fat. and one day was playing
with other horses. While dong so, he
fell. His owner and others went to
him and found him dead. They cut him
open and found tine usual indications.
In the human family, as also in other
animals, the rapid accumulation of llesh
is often caused by some organ not being
able to perform its duty, consequently a
very fat man or n very fat horse does
not always mean good health. find
that a horse may contract the disease
and soon after die of it in the acute form.
He may accumulate flesh and finally die
in several months. or he may waste away
as in consumption.
As to how long the disease will stay in
herd, do not know but several
years experience here shows that it may
be fatal in one herd one year, and in
another the next year, and again Others
lose every year.
AS to avoiding it, would keep them
eff the pine-leaf bunch grass in SIMMER
or while it is green. This species o
bunch grass has bunch of small rount
leaves like pine, with leafiess seed stems
1t is sometimes called buffalo grass, ant
when uncovered Of the snow in winter
some of the leaves of each bunch ar
usually green. 1t grows only on tn
black loamy soil of our foothills. l
seems to be the only grass that grows OIL
this kind of soil, except that it will no
grow on wet land or where there is al
excess of alkali. 1t is one of our mos
abundant and best known grasses.
l would in spring bleed all of tn
horses that could be bled without injur,
. would feed them all they desired {
salt and lime mixed. By doing this,
would not expect many, if any, fa.l
cases.
Mr.. Lewis knows that his horses GO
the disease In his mountain range. H
, can move away from that range and IL
range can not follow him up. There a
many very useful things in nature th
- are verv injurius when not proper
used. 1t seems to me that in order
l. receive the greatest benefits from o,
grasses we must acquire better knov
ledge of them. 1t must not be unde
q stood that there NAV not be other kin,
"a. of grass that has the same effect, as
V. know the disease is caused in other way
I'd to a limited extent. To continue fee
ty ing anything that produces a sol
stomach, without the animal has
opportunity to get an anti-acid, eth
- naturally or artificially, is liable to bri
on disease. l have no doubt but tn
stations and other horses that are high
l. fed and not properly exercised. viii