Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-17
FARM AND GARDEN.
RESULTS OF GIVING CATTLE I'M
PURE WATER.
Reports From Expert m ents Made at
Agricultural Experiment
Stations.


pertinent station DIR. NJ. Stalker, vet
erinarian Of the station, gives the fol-
lowing interest accounting of an out
break Of malignant diseases among live
stock:
During the latter part Ofthe summer
OF 1880, had occasion TO investigate a
severe outbreak of disease on a farm in
one Of the counties Of Iowa. The ami
mails, including horses, cattle aud
pigs, were all affected in the same way.
The local symptoms were largely con-
fined to the throat. There WAS q
swelling, partial para lysis of the walls
OF the upper air passages and painful
and difficult breathing. The animals
attacked, uniformly died after an i'll
ness Of about two days. The disease /
could not recognize as belonging tO
any of the well defined types with
which was acquainted. Here were
horses, cattle and pigs, sick and dy-
ing with disease showing the same
symptoms in all. There are few II any
OF the specific forms of disease that
spread as epizOOtic among the widely
differing species of domestic animals.
l could not classify the disease, aud ut
once set about the task Of discovering,
II possible, some common source of
exposure. The pastures, buildings and
water supply were each in turn sub
jected to careful scrutiny. The build
ings were such az are to be found on
ordinary Iowa farms, fairly comfort.
able ana clean. / could find no clue
In the quantity or quality of feed that
promised to lead to a solution OF the
difficulty. On investigation of the
water supply, found that most Of the
animals on the farm drank from
small creek that ran a zig-zag course
through the premises. The stream
was In part supplied from series of
springs, and in ordinary seasons af-
fOrded fair amount of water which
ran, at least for portion of its course,
over gravelly bed. The present dry
summer, with several previous ones,
showing an abnormally light rain
fall, has 80 reduced the amount of
water that it has ceased to run. On
making examination and conducting
inquiries, | ascertained that it had
been the custom on the farm to throw
the carcasses Of animals down the
steep bluffs into the bed of the stream.
l further learned that during the
summer, chicken cholera had pre-
vailed on the farm and that a large
number of chickens had died and been
thrown over the bank. | was also in
formed that the hog cholera had
caused the death of a considerable
number of swine, the carcasses having
been treated in similar manner. The
several yards occupied by horses, cat.
tie, pigs and barnyard towels, were on
the hillside with abrupt drainage into
the creek. In addition to this large
heaps of fermenting manure were de-
posted about the foot of the hill near
the edge of the stream, where the ami
mails went to drink. A few of the ami
mails on the farm had not had access
to the stream, but had been watered
from well. None of these had showed
signs of sickness, though they had
been IN daily contact with those that
had their water from the pools in the
bed of the stream, and even with some
of the sick, On looking up the local
geography of the neighbOrhOod, |
found that number of farmers had
built their homes along the banks of
this stream, and had been accustomed
to make Use oft in much the same
way as the farmers above referred to.
Inquiry ELECTED the fact that on no
less than four farms situated on the
banks of this stream, animals had died
showing symptoms indentica with
those on the farm first invest igated.
L regarded the evidence as sufficient to
make out strong case against the
lmpurity of the water and gave an
opinion accordingly
The above is but q single instance
out of many that have come under my
observation. 1t is one of the most
glaring, but by no means one attend
ed with the greatest degree of loss. On
another occasion where high rate of
mortality had prevailed among the
cattle running on the open prairie,
was able to trace the cause to contain
ination OF surface water. An animal
dead from anthrax had been drawn
into basin on the open prairie. Later
the rains filled the basin with water,
and about one thousand cattle on the
range had access to the pond for water
supply. The result was that about 10
per cent Of the animals having access
to the impure water, died from an
thrax. The teachings of these object
lessons are sufficiently obvious. These
animals are endowed with organiZa-
tions not unlike our own, and the
manifest laws of being and of health
can no more be violated with impuni-
ty by them, than by ourselves.