Milford chronicle., 1912-01-12
FORAGE POISONING.
Or SO-called cerebrO-Spinal Menin-
gifts.


ties are visited by it almost every
year This condition consists in a
poisoning and depression of the nerv-
Gus system from eating or drinking
food or water containing poison, gen
Grated by mOIld or bacteria 1t has
been shown to be due to eating dam
aged ensilage, corn, brewers grains,
cats, hay, etc. or to drinking stag
uant pond water, or water from a
well contaminated by surface drain
age. Horses or cattle at pasture may
contract this disease when the growth
OF grass is so prOfuse that it mats to-
gether and the part dies and fer
ments, or become mouldy. About
4 a year ago, Theodore CarrOw. of
White Hall Neck, lost some milk
COWS by pasturing on this kind of
grass, and no doubt would have lost
the majority Of his herd had | not
suspected the cause and changed the
herd to other pasture
A A disease similar in many respects,
Ich is very prevalent in Virginia
Nialiy along the eastern border,
0Ouly known by the name of
ftagers" and it is also known
-h Eare and breaks out along
n q the fall of the year
eSS to eating mould on
10 70 f'0s and stiff mosquitoes
5e1 sm m he so from the cool nights
act - Eaway, and the horses
e he grass while pas
acn hre thrown to them .
Fr, FTs b is usually thrown
5 & how the evening be-
al ply watered for the
uni
M his so called 'blind
? Sc re. buted to worm eaten
Mrs = all ages and mules
lsI Ithis disease; cattle
"a ~ Ialthough there is not
hn danger to give them
Tae IbProMs.
The - ks which typify spor-
.h ls y fhiic cerebro-spinal men
st stt han are MT witnessed
5 b. ises, namely, excessive
ckl bever and early muscular
Te M Rfn the recognition of the
% No y the attack we may divide
sc tbms into three grades In
tHrapidly fatal attacks, the :
Ss-, aHy first indicate it by weak
staggering gait, partial or total in
ability to swallow solids or liquids,
impairment Of ey esight ;eCWitching Of
the muscles and sligEFcramps may
tie observed Asa rule, the tenn
u perature is not elevated it is some A
\ \ times below normal This is soon Y
followed by paralysis of the whole
ssFSiy, inability to stand, drlirium in
fhicn tile animal sometimes goes
through series Of automatic move F
ments as if trotting or running The r
I delirum may become very violent +
. sand the animal in his unconscious
4 ne,s may bruise his head very seri-
d ously in his struggles, but usually
deep coma renders him quiet until 70
he expires. Death in these cases r.
usually takes place in from four to b
tYenty-four hours from the time the D
Ars9 symptoms become manifest =
The pulse is variable during the pro- NJ
gress of the disease and may be al NJ
most imperceptible at times, and n
then again very rapid and very \ :,
Irregular. The TespiratiOns are quick p.
! and catching generally. In the next Sc
form in which this di ease NAV de- Su
velop it first becomes manifest bv d ~
difficulty in swallowing, and a weak w w
ness which may be first noticed in
the strength of the tail The animal
will be unable to switch it or to offer -
resistance when it is bent up over
the Group. The pulse is often lit
tie slower than normal There is no
evidence OF pain. the breathing is -
normal and the temperature a little
less than normal the bowels may
be somewhat constipated These
symptoms may remain unchanged
for two or three days and then grad
ual improvement takes place, or the
power to swallow may becOmg en- Ar
tirely lost and the weakness and un. w
certainty in gait more and more per
ceptible The sleepiness or coma
may appear; the pulse become de-
pressed, slow and weak, the breath Fa
ing hard and ierky and delirium ia
may develop with an inability to Pc
stand and some rigidity Of the spinal
muscles, OF partial cramp Of the neck
and jaw In such cases death may
occur in from six to ten days from p.
the commencement of the attack. In Ba
many cases there is no evidence Of Ba
pain. spasm or fever at any time De
during the progress Of the disease, Ggq r;g
and finally nrnfnnnd coma devalnns ~