Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-10-11

their legs. When moved about they wil
astagger, stumble and sway about an
rnot infrequently we sec animals lean
/ ing against the sides of the stall &C
against "a tree or similar cbjecrs. "A
this stage, many animals will go down
never to rise again. The horse, so aaf
fected not always is down forever am
may In certain instances be able to ge
up and down several times.
/ While the animal is gradually flosin:
control of his legs, muscular ttwitchins
and tremors are frequently observt
while spasmodic movements Of the eye
are apt to be inevidence likewise
When the affected horse once is down
he may be overcome by profound sieel
and he snoring away in an absolute
unconscious condition. Other cases how
eyer, may be more Or less aexcitabie ant
keep on paving until great holes ar,
dug in the ground.
Not a few Of the cases are reariil'
.rritated end such Simple procedures
as the insertion of a hypodermic needl'
may excite a horse in such q manner
to elicit actual commissions or active r.
sistance to further interference.
Mental alterations are not uncommc:
especially so in the beginning OF the d is
ease. The animals show evidence of pc
culiar Authorizations or as is often eN
pressed they are more or less crazy.
The symptoms above mentioned are
the most constant ones. although They
may occur in g great variety OF degree:
OF intensity and combinations.
MORTALITY HIGH.
Most OF the cases die and this is es
pecially the case III those sections whcr,
the disease is first making its appear
ance. Under these conditions, it is SAT.
to estimate the mortality at not less
than SO per cent.
AS the disease advances in a section
this mortality apparently lessons anu j,
certain sections where the trouble was
raging for two Or three weeks, the dis
ease assumed a much milder form anc
perhaps more than 90 per cent Of thc
affected animals made good recoveries
The time Of illness varies somewhat
while most cases come 10 a Termination.
in three or four DAYS. there are other:
which succumb within q hours while
others again last as long as Il week.
/ TREATMENT APPARENTLY USE
LESS OFTEN HARMFUL.
There is no evidence to show that ans
ed by real or would-be exprts has re,
suited in the least benefit. No doub
horses have recovered after certain
kinds of treatment, but it is probab
that recovery took place not because
but in spite of the treatment admins.
tered.
AS a matter of fact there is a con,
siderable amount of evidence which
tends to show that the 1ll-advised trea.
ing Of horses for this disease is in nc
small measure responsible for its ihigl
mortality percentage.
Copious drenches are given to horse:
and in such cases the dope given is as
much apt to arrive in the lungs as ir
the stomach and we need not be veterin
arians to be able to imagine what hap
pens when the former takes place This
writer has no hesitancy in saying thai
the great number OF deaths ;ascribed tt
the so-calied new horse disease includ.
an appalling number in which the fata
exit was due to accidental drowning, the
drowning in a medicine bottle.
For SO far as the observations OF the
writer 60 1t is apparent that the horst
receiving ordinary care and no medicine
at all has always had the best chance
for recovery and that several cases Ct
dealt with actually have recovered.
SUGGESTIONS.
Summing up the situation there ie
good ground for recommending the fo!
lowing measures wherever the disease
makes its appearance:
!. Remove all horse stock from pas
lures and place them in stables and ii
this is not possible, in absolutely clea,
lots.
?. Only feed the Oldest hay on you,
place, supplementing this with good oat.
Or any other grain feed Of an unuues.
tionable quality.
3. AS long as the disease is in YOU,
vicinity. avoid all green feed and for.
age. and see to 1t that your supply o.
drinking water is above challenge.
! d. Remember that no treatment ca.
be relied upon, that ordinarily dosing
Will do more hard than good and thai
should any reliable method of treat
1nent be discovered it will be given out
from good authorities.