The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-09-04
Important Circular issued by the
State Veterinarian.
DISEASE KNOWN As STAGGERs
causes OF the Fatal Disease. Known a
"stagger> and Symptom$-Treat-
ment and Prevention.


the following important circlar. This
fatal disease Of horses. mules are
seldom attacked. which is more or less
common in the state IL all times. has
again become seriously prevalent III
several eastern counties. The Iasr
previous serious outbreak occurred i'll
1901 during and after the wet summer
Previous outbreaks of d widespread
and serious character, notably the one
or 1886, also accompanied or followed
very wet season
causes: The specific cause or agent
of this disease is not knokn. but rs
previously stated the disease occurs
frequently in wet seasons and under
conditions which result in much
| mouldy or damaged feed Whether
the actual disease producing agent is
mould, bacterium or other germ, or
the toxic material or poison produced
by one of these, has never been de-
monstrated, but the evidence is very
near conclusive that the disease is due
| to some agent or material developed
| IN or on mouldy or damaged feed that
this agent or toxic material enters the
body chiefly with the feed, but posi-
bly, also occasionally with drinking
water when that drains from surface
which are quantities Of decOmpOSing :
vegetable matter.
There is very little evidence to ind
cate that pastures are responsible for
Ithe development of the disease. but If
mouldy and decaying grasses are eaten
there is possibly tina such might
cause the trouble, but the writer mas
| seen outbreaks when the ground was
Well frozen and covered with snow
| However this may be, it is certain that
| the idea which unfortunately is still
prevalent in certain sections that such
disease arises from vapOrs miama or
other imaginary materials arising from
the soil is prepOsterous, such theories
| having long since been exploded
The following direct evidence obtain
| ed experimentally by the writer will
add force to the above remarks.
| Mr.. A. living near Wakefield, Kan
sas, lost four horses within one week
that were being fed on corn of very
| bad quality. probably tn per cent
being mOuIdy, rotten or wOrm-eaten
The other feed seemed good, Will the
| drinking water was of the best. The
grain feed was changed from the sr5
pected corn to Ound oats and all
other conditions allowed to remain the
same. No further disease occurred [
| had ten bushels Of the worst of this
corn selected and shipped about forty
| miles TO the Kansas Agricultural Col
| lege, where it was fed. under the best
conditions, as related to other feed
and water,to two healthy colts pur
chased for the experiment. At the
end of about three weeks, when the
corn had been consumed, one of the
colts died. showing typical symptoms
and post-mortem LESSONS Of the dis
ease.
Symptoms. The first symptom no
ticed is usually dull sluggish con-
ditioR When standing, the head IS
generally lowered and not infrequently
rests on the manger or against the
wall The animal will usually eat,
but frequently has some difficulty IN
swallowing, which is more apparent
when drinking When walking he may
show an inability TO properly control
| his hind parts, which gives stag
gering gait When standing, he may
| lean against the stall or other available
J object, or when walking show ten
dency to swere to one side, which 5
! sometimes so pronounced that 1t c2us-
| es him TO walk in a circle. In some
cases he becomes blind. but while Us
ually able TO see, he does not appear
| to be able or care to control himself,
and walks over or against anything
that happens 10 be in his course. In
many cases there is tendency u
periods OF excitement, but In the Re
cent outbreak this was very frequently
absent In severe cases the patient may
fall TO the ground within from twelve
: to twenty four hours afer the flrsr
symptoms are noticed. In fact, IN
the virulent form Of disease in which
ii sometimes appears, death frequently
results within that time. In most
cases. however, the animal stands for
a longer period. or my live for two
or three days after going down On
the other hand, they occasionally stand
until shortly before death While on
the ground they generally remain
quiet in an unconscious or semf-con-
scious condition. vithoniy occasional
short periods OF struggling. during
which they bruise themselves badly
about the head and ether prominent
parts OF the body. The temperature.
pulse and rate of breathing are varia-
bic, depending on the stage o. tie
disease, general condition II the ami
nal, and the several secondary COM
plicarions which frequently occur In
cases where great dullness IS exhibit
ed. with little tendency 10 periods OF
excitement, and where the disease l.
chiefly confined 10 the brain, tho
pulse and temperature may BE found
normal, or below normal When lung.