Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1905-10-23
POISON IN FORAGE FODDER.

The following iS from the Expert
ment station Bulletin, by DR.. @, F..
Dawson, Station Veterinarian, and iS
of deep interest to all horse breeders
or owners:
Forage pOinsoning, otherwise
known under the names ceTelFo. spinal.
meningitis, gTSss'staRgers, or blind.
stFggers, Is q disease which occurs not
only in FloFida every summer but also
over large portion Of the Central and
Eastern parts Of the United States. In
Florida II seems to occur OfteneSt along
the East Coast. As the name indi.
Gates, It is caused BY poisonous planta,
or more strictly speaking, by diseased
forage, such o. fern enting grains and
hay, or by REasSts which have matted
together near the ground and become
mOuldy. Sour or mouldy silsge has
also produced the disease, as has also
OtagnAnt pond. water in which veReta.
tlon iS dOeom posing. Mouldy or worm.
eaten corn has also come 10 for ice
share OF blame 90 q cause. II Affects
horses and mules OF all ages alike.
1.-THE Symphonic ere ~ variable 90 the
cause, aid acOOfdiug TO theft nature We
reCogSlge three types Of the disease.
In tie arSt type, the most rapidly 70.
tai, there occurs q weak, staggering
gait, partial or complete paralysis Of
the throat, blindness, twitChihg Of the
muscles, and no fever, 90 & rule. The
animal soon goes down, becomes deliri.
Gus and goes through the movements
Of walking, tTottiBg OF running while
on lie side. This stage Is soon oucceed.
ed by deep coma, and she animal
quietly expires In few hburS from the
onset Of the dIseSSe. The second type
10 frat manifested slOWness Of chew
ing, partial inabiRty 20 swallow, and
weakness In tbs tail. There IL DO pain
or fever. tn breathing and pulse are
about nOrmt1, and q slight oonstipa-
ton exis In two or three dayS the
animal ecOveFs, or all the foregoing
SympI rms are increased in severity.
The Throat paralysis ID complete, the
gSt uncertain, coma or sleep sppearS,
Che pulse 10 weak and slow, the'bFeath-
ing 10 lsbOFed. Delirium now devel-
ops, the animal goes down, the spine
becomes rigid and there iS orAmping
Of the neck and jaws. Death occurs ia
about q week or ten days In these
cAses.
"In the third or mild type, the con-
troll Of the limbs and tail 10 only slight.
ly affected, and the ability to swallow
10 not lost. There iS no fever, pain,
or unconscious movements, and the
animal shows improvement in four or
Ave days, ultimately recovering.
''ln some caSss Of the diSease, Spinel
paralysis 10 the rOoSt prominent Symp-
tom, while IL Others IL may be diff
Guilty In swallowing that attracts most
attention. In all cases, II slespineSS or
coma remains absent for q week, the
animal will likely FeCOveFi but some
form Of analysis may show for
awhile.
According TO the symptoms do We
dnd departures from che normal con-
dltion In the brain and spinal cord,
In mild oases there are no notable
changes Ip the nervous system. In
Others We note considerable liqnid in
the brain aud spinal cord cavities, and
Of the blood vessels, In
the several cases the brain and spinal
cord will appear softened, and even
abscesses may be found.
THE object OF this article 10 20 call
attention TO the causeS OF this disease,
so that owners will be more careful TO
provide their animals with pure food
and drinking water"
State papers please copy.