Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1912-10-03
PLAGUE KILLING HORSES

During the last five months num-
erous reports have been received by
the Bureau Of Animal Industry rela-
tive to the existence of forage poison
ing in various sections of the United
States particularly in Louisiana, West
Kansas, and Nebraska. It
has usually occurred when shot dry
period has been followed by rains, or
during wet seasons, especially those
Which are characterized by frequent
rains alternating with hot sunshine
producing a damp sultry atmosphere.
Such conditions are most favorable
to the production of nlolds, and all
outbreaks that have been investigated
by the Bureau have been traced to
the eating of unsound or moldy for
age or feed, or to the drinking water
from wells or pools containing surface
water drained through decomposed
and moldy vegetation. The disease
has been shown to be also due to eat
ing damaged ensilage, hay, corn,
brewers grains, oats, etc. Horses and
mules at pasture may contract the dis
ease when the growth Of grass is so
profuse that it mats together and the
lower part dies and ferments or be-
comes moldy. No specific organism or
virus has yet been found which can.
be considered as the cause of this dis.
ease.
The so-called cerebro-spinal menin-
gitis disease from that which occurs
in man, the symptoms as well as the
cause are distinctly different. In the
most rapidly fatal attacks death takes
place in from to 49 hours. Such
cases begin with violent trembling or
stupor and extreme weakness, or with
staggering gait, partial or total inabil-
ity to swallow, impairment of eye
sight, followed by partial or complete
paralysis, inability to stand, with
marked delirium, during which the
animal lying fiat on it's side becomes
violent and knocks and bruises its
head. In the second form OF the dis
ease the same line of symptoms may
be noticed in a milder degree Difficult
ty in swallowing, slowness in chew.
ing the food and inability to switch
the tail are observed. Breathing be
comes heavy and noisy, and deliriH,n
niay develop With stiffness OF the spi.
nal muscles or partial champ of the
neck and jaws. Death occurs in from
8 to 10 days. In the last or mildest
form the lack of voluntary control of
the limbs becomes but slightly mark
ed, the power of swallowing never en-
tirely lost, and the animal has no fe-
Yer, pain, or unconscious movements
In those cases which get we'll the ami
NAL generally begins to improve about
the fourth day and goes on to recov-
cry. One attack does not protect
against a second attack, as horses
and mules have been known to have
the disease two or three times.
The first principle in the treatment
of this disease consists in total
change of feed and forage. Horses
kept in the stable should be fed with
sound forage and grain from an I'M
contaminated source, even if such
feed has to be brought from a dis
tance. Horses that have become af-
fected while at pasture should be re,
moved from the field in which they
have been running. The animals
should be brought to the barn or cor
raj and fed on wholesome and clean
feed and forage. The water, unless
from an unpolluted source, should
likewise be changed.
At present this preventive treat
ment is the only satisfactory method
known for checking the disease, as
all medicinal remedies used have
been unsatisfactory in the vast major
ity of cases. The first step is to empty
the bowels and remove the poisonous
products, but on account of the diff
fully in swallowing, an aloes ball or
Glauber's salt is hard to give. In fact
no remedy should be given by the
mouth if the throat is paralyzed, as
pneumonia is liable to result. Fifteen
grains Of barium chlorid injected into
the juglar vein, or 2 grains of eserin
under the skin, if the animal is not
too greatly depressed, will usually
act promptly. Intestinal disinfect-
ants such as calomel, salicylic acid,
and creolin are also used. If much
weakness is shown and the tempera-
ture is below normal give aromatic
spirits of amonia, digitalis, alcohol,
ether or cnmnhOr Recital Infections