Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1901-03-30

~ 1>oDiabAd tney nave J9Dt 0IU~
severed that corn stall disease y due |
20 me eating of corn smut By cattle !
gong In stalk fields. This u "A cid /
story and fictitious one ~ regards |
smut. which has been fed to cattle ex-
perimentally In large quantities with
OUT doing them any harm. In fact cat
ue nave, when 30 fed. shown liking
ior smut and seemed to do well on 1t
Win very few exceptions which were
not SHOWN TO be due to the smut. The
writer's we have in mind who have
been claiming that corn smut was the
cause OF the disease, make new plea.
however, for they say that smut Is
ergotism" OF the corn plant and that
the disease therefore il ergotism. This
is erroneous In every particular. Corn
smut is not ergot. and cattle affected
with corn stalk disease do not show the
symptoms OF ergotism. II ID true that
cattle SO affected stagger and show
symptoms OF toxic poisoning. but they
10 not have the LESSONS OF acute ergot-
ism and do not live long enough to de-
'eiop the LESSONS shown by cattle pol
soned by ergot. In the latter disease
there Is gangrene OF the tissues and
separation OF the ligaments. especially
ABOVE the ankle joints. so that there
may be ring OF flesh sloughed on at
the piace mentioned and exposing the
bone. We do not see this In corn stalk
disease. In this disease we see cattle
become stupid. staggering. feverish.
lacking appetite. having diarrhoea or
constipation and passing blood In the
passages and often blood-colored urine.
IL Is evident that there are two forms
OF corn stalk disease, one Of which Is
impaction OF the stomach. attended
With cerebral symptoms ~ conse-
Quence OF the irritation OF the stom-
aeh; the other. toxic poisoning OF
the blood by some poison Of the food.
either fungus one, such as was dis
covered and described by Billings OF
Nebraska. and Burrill Of Illinois. OF
some poison such as might be found
when food is undergoing decay or fer
meniation. II has been shown In In.
dia that there exists condition OF the
stalks OF corn where the joints contain
saltpeter In such large quantities thai
poisoning may ensue from the con
sumption OF stalks SO impregnated, ant
this condition OF corn stalks might vel
exist here also. for II is said to follow
the premature drying up OF corr
around wet places, where cut worm
or other insects have killed the plant
or where Il has died out as result
OF the presence OF alkaiies in the soil
II wonld be well to examine some Q
the stalks from the fields where tn
disease has prevailed and see IL Their
be not something of the same sor
wrong with the stalks. Certain 1t
ths, where corn Is cut and shocked 4
proper season there is no trouble fror
feeding the fodder TO cattle. We do nc
hear OF the disease where cattle ar
yarded for part OF each day and fe
other foods besides corn stalks with a
adequate supply OF water and salt ur
/ der these conditions cattle do not SUI
fer from impaction and at the sam
II klIHe Idtiy tdht tndN III al VA NV Ne'
ease which is characterized by tox
poisoning. hence the way to prever
/ the cattle from disease In fall an
early winter is to manage them prof.
erly by allowing them to go but fe
hours In the stalk fields daily and ;
the same time providing them vii
an abundance OF water. salt and goo
food other than fodder and cor
While We do not believe that corn sta
disease is due to corn smut nor to g
got. We are not to be understood as a
vocating the feeding Of cattle upt
smutty corn II II can be avoided. b
. We do believe that the disease viii d.
= appear where cattle are managed as
have suggested. and without regard
nh the presence or absence OF cora SIN
ne from the stalk fields. II will be bett
a stili when the wasteful plan OF pa
tad turing corn fields instead of cu,tii
nd them for fodder is done away vi
IN throughout the country.