The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-26

known of the nature and specific cause
of the malady it matters little what
name is applied to it. In North Caro-
lima it is best known as Staggers.''
The causes, prevention and treatment
of the disease are then discussed at
length.
sonal observation and experience in this
and other States, extending over period
of seventeen years, corroborates the con-
sensus of veterinary opinion that the
disease is the result CT a poison (toxine),
OR poisons produced in or on vegetable
matter by moulds, fungi or bacteria, and
which is introduced into the horse chiefly
through the food, but possibly occasion
ally also through the drinking water
when that drains from surfaces covered
with large quantities of decomposing
vegetable matter. DR.. Butler says the
evidence in support of this view, Will
largely what veterinarians call clinical
or what the lawyers would term cir
cumstantial,'' is most abundant and con-
vincing, ana he gives examples OF both
classes.
Dr.. Butler then proceeds with his re-
FORT, as follows:
In reference to the outbreak that re-
Gently occurred in this State it may be
stated that the weather was hot and
extremely wet just preceding and during
the greatest prevalence and severity OF
the disease In short, just such condi-
housekeeping vegetable matter heat
and moisture present, as best ia
vored the growth and development Of
moulds, fungi and bacteria.
In my examination of the forage used
it was very rare to find oats of this
years growth, whether threshed or I'M
threshed, that were free from must or
mould. The corn fodder was almost
equally bad. Sae,led ccrn, corn meal,
homiay, rrstsy etc, wcra ;l-1 = more
or less damaeed condition. IN fact, the
weather being hot and the atmosphere
moist, cyca Ni.tle ~. sc wus ct up in
good condition :. { TT. wards became
mouldy In nearly every iSs.e..ce, even
frequently when TIC ON rs t,ouSlt and
affirmed that tic fo.a &c was 81, right, an
examination showed it to be in anything
but good condition.
in many eases the stock water was
of the worst possible character. The
wells received the surface drainage
from land covered with decomposing
vegetable matter, the result of the at
mospheric conditions above mentioned.
1T should also be stated that horses
kept in the stable and fed on good hay
and corn, or oats CT last years raising
invariably remained healthy.
"Prevention-It is quite safe to state
that general and promiscuous bleeding
and the giving of medicines, several
days or weeks prior to an attack, are
worse than useless as preyentives. 1t
may be further stated that a, horse in
good health is in the best possible con-
dition TO resist disease and that no
amount of bleeding, purging or other
medication will increase his vigor Or
better enable him to withstand disease
Moreover, good sound food moderate
regular exercise, and pure air and water
are the best tonics and health preseryers
that any man can give his horse.
"The disease is rare in dry seasons.
1t is seldom or never seen in well drain
ed sections where the sanitary conditions
are good and the horses receive good,
sound food free from must or mould and
are given pure water to drink. These
conditions are extremely difficult to OBJ
tain in certain sections during a season
like the months of July and August of
this year, but by the nearest possible
approach to them the ravages of Stag