Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-01-20
THE CORNSTALk DISEASE.
and Prevention of This Serious
Ailmcnt.
Dr.. Frank S. Billings reports as fol-

lows:
In endcavoring to portray the symptoms of
this disease we come face to face with a qucs-
ton of exceeding difficulty, because of their
very close resemblance to other diseases which
occur in cattle in our western states, and even
anthrax itself offers intra-vital phenomena
which more or less closely resemble those pre-
sented by this disease, especially in the most
acute form. This fact has led many veterina-
rians into most serious errors in diagnosis. The
occurrence of this disease in the months from
November to March must be of essential differ
entail diagnostic value.
Like the swine plague. this disease may b.
fatal in twenty-four hours, or it may extend to
eight or ten days or some weeks before such a
result occurs. 1t is not a universally fatal dis
case, as we now know better than ever before.
Primarily we have to do with an acute blood
poisoning disease, which, like all such diseases.
is accompanied by Il more or less excessive ex-
accrbatiOn OF the bodily temperature, varying,
SO far as known, from 80 dc:,s. c.. to A. dccs. c.
that is. from 1922 dcgs. +. TO l07. g dcys. +.
These disturbances OF the circulation fire..
Quently extend to the brain, where cnyorgc-
ment and cerebral pressure occur, which in
some animals takes on the form of "craZincss,.'
rs the owners call it. The animalsthen below
ASt~AA o"N SIhAaS UNIV fIlllIlitlS. SSEStlG!!t
dogs, hogs or fowls. but seldom human beings.
This has led to the mistake of their being
called mad" at times, and to this disease be-
ing mixed up with so called 'hydrophobia" in
cattle by some veterinarians. Other animals
stand by themselves or are depressed and loath
to move. Separation from their companions is
one of the first indications of illness. As near
~ as ] can discern they can all swallow and all
drink. AS in swine plague and southern cattle
plague, constipation is a very frequent occur
renee, while laXity Of the bowels also often &C.
ours and may be looked upon as rather a fa.
vorable complication. Red urine does not oc.
cur. The visible mucosB are injected and
0tten nave a yellowish red tinge. My inocu-
lated steer drank all the time, and even ate n
little during its most i'll days. That such sick
animals should be disinclined to eat and often
to drink is no wonder; but if clear wafer is
placed before them no difficulty in swallowing
Will be discovered. Milk COWS soon slacken in
their yield of the lactcal fluid, and frequently
the secretion ceases altogether for Il time.
1t must be borne in mind that if the manure
and litter from a cattle yard where animals
have had this disease are taken out and strcwn
over q field and then plowed in, and that field
Is planted with corn, such corn is very liza
BILE to become invaded by this germ, and thus
can BIO the cause of more losses in cattle if
turned into such "a stalk field" the ensuing
fall and winter.
On the eruption of this disease in a herd OF
cattle which have been used to do the lazy
mans cleaning in q stalk field the first stcp TO
be taken Is the percmptory withdrawal of The
herd from such a field and such fodder. The
next thing to do is either to number, brand or
adopt some other means by which a record Gun
be Kept of each animal in the lot, n then
take the temperature of each one night and
morning. All with ii temperature of over 10.
degs. +. must be looked upon as suspicious.
Those in which 1t does not exceed or rise over
luz dcgs. +. need not cause any worry. There
Is no need of separating the sick from the well.
as the disease is not contagious.
A saline purgntive is indicated for all the
animals. Those that die should be crcmatcd.
and with them u lot of the litter in the yard.
II possible to avoid it, the regular cattle
yard should never be used for such cattle after
any OF them have become ill. Again | rcpcat
IN no case should IL particle Of the manure or
refuse from q place where such cattle have
peer confined ever be used for fcrtilizing pur-
poses. Burn it up.
descriptions Of the same have put us in possess
sion or that practical knowledge by which we
should M able to invariably tell when the
growing corn in our fields is infested with this
germ so dangerous to our live stock. The aucs-
ton or prevention should be the simple matter
OF avoiding such corn fields as places for turn
ing in stock TO do tho post harvest cleaning
From conversation with several farmers l am
quite convinced that even now some of them
have quite distinct ideas OF the manner i'm
which tho corn itself is affected, and that az
we have obtained an exact description of this
part OF the story from the botanical side we
should now be able to totally prevent this dis.
ease III our live stock SO far as the cleaning of
III rcOrll fields Is concerned. But this still leave.
ust o face several uncertainties, which can only
be settled by careful observation by farmers
ana exact investigation by competent inycsti-
gators.
Knowing that the corn fodder is discns,.d
both as to the husks and leaves, the question is.
Does tho germ also penetrate tho cob and
growing kernel. ana can they also cause the
discascI
Are grasses also infested by this ecrn,Y And
II so, which, This last is IL very inportnn,
question. for II they cannot be, then such fields
can be used for raising grasses, This cun In
best determined by actual experiment By intel.
iigcht farmers, who should turn such fields
Into grasses, including patches Of mlllet and
clover. and then feed IL few cattle with cnch
kline without tbs udmixturc Of any other her.
buccOus food.
1t would be well II the experiment station.
would make suitable arr angcincnts in this
direction with intelligent farmers ana bear IN,
expense OF using such TN affected corn field .o,
experimentation IN about tho following mnn.
ncr:
IL should be thoroughly cleu,,scd OF all refuse