The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-03-06
CAUSE Or s TA.G g GERS.
Fatal Malady Now Prevalent.
Among the Horses. !
or NERVOUS sYsTEMM::. q 1:
DR.. Nesoln Says II. is Always AS!
sociated With nIonldy ,sood,
Bad Water and Uncleanly
Surroundings!

DR.. NesOm, the State Veterinarian
at Clemson College, is receiving so
many letters from various sections in.
reference to staggers that he has
found it impossible to answer them:
all. The following letter will be Of.
tnteress to many throughout the
State .t ~;
AS it is quite out of the question
to give personal answers to all of the
letters received from citizens OF South
Carolina and Georgia regarding
horse disease commonly referred to as
staggers, I take this method Of say
ing to those concerned that more and
more cases appear every week, and
just at q season when horses and
mules are SO much in demand for farm
work it becomes a serious question.
The losses in South Carolina from this
disease during the past year are esti-
mated at about $4,000, and it is
Eprevalent In Maryland, Virginia,
North Carolina and Kansas. I had
diagnosed the disease as cerebro-spi-t
nal meningitis nearly a year ago, but
many Of the diseases did not seem
typical Of LhiS disease. have recent.
~ forwarded to the bureau Of animal
industry at Washington six Of the
brains taken from horses that had
died Of this disease. A partial report
has been received and the disease
proves to be cerebro-spinal meningitis,
or leucoencephalitis 81
This is a disease Of the nervous sys
tenn, affecting chiefly the brain and
its covering membranes. Most Of the,
brains taken out recently have been
congeJted, some blood serum around
the brain, and in either the right or
left half Of the upper portion Of the
brain (cerebrum) there has been found
a large area Of degeneration. This
cannot be seen on the surface, but IL
the brain be cut open what appears
TO be large ulcer is found in the
substance of the. brain. This is the
principal losion' and is responsible for
most of the ill symptoms.
The symptoms are those Of nearly
all the other forms Of so-called stag
gers" and death generally follows in5
one or two days If not very soon after;
the disease is noticed. The cause sof
the disease is. notiwell nnd derSto ood, butt
;iss always ssoeia ted sswib BIZ nonldys
food bad wa ter and uncle sur rpundas
ings. 5ss: 6
The remedy is to ayoid the causes, I,
use only the best food, pure water
anu Keep the animals under the best
of conditions as to cleanliness. In
one case [ saw where a number Of 4
mules died, the only bad environment
l could find was that a lot Of rank
weeds had been moved down around
the barn and left there to decay dur
ing a rainy spell OF weather.
Medical treatment is almost uselessY
as the losions Of the brain have al:
ready occurred when the symptoms
are noticed and cure is generally out
of the question when so much Of the
brain has become decayed. Cold
shower baths to head. doses Of one
ounce Of chloral hydrate, one ounce
aloes, or for ounces of whiskey, may
relieve the symptoms for a while.
When the disease appears clean, dis
infect and whitewash the barn, and
do not use stall where a horse has
died. II possible abandon lots and
barns for two or three months and
provide quarters elsewhere for all
horses kept on the place.
G. e. Nesom,
State Veterinarian.