The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-02
State and Federal Authorities
Disagree ON Kansas Epidemic
Forage Poisoning, Says One;
Meningitis, Other Declares.
MOST AFFECTED ANIMALS DIE
College Report Gives List of
Preventive Measures.
Disease Infectious, but Not
Contagious, Report Says.

Veterinary experts from the United
States department of agriculture and
the Kansas State Agricultural college
disagree as to the cause of deaths
among horses in Kansas. The federal
experts declare the deaths due to for
age poisoning for which drouthy con-
ditions are responsible. The K. S. A. c.
experts declare epidemic of spinal
meningitis is killing the horses.
The report of the federal experts was
made public late last week; the X. S.
A. c. report is given below.
hro-spinal meningitis that killing
horses by the hundreds in western
kansas. Expert veterinarians at the
Kansas Agricultural college announced
this after very careful study of the
disease in the field and in the labora-
tory. The department bacteriologist has
discovered a germ which, it is believed.
causes the diseases, and this germ is
very similar to the one which causes
cerebro-spinal meningitis in human be-
ings. The germ. when injected into a
guinea pig produced death within If
hours. 1t is known technically as dipLo-
coccus.
All Point to Meningitis.
Because of the fact that the germ
has been isolated it is believed that the
contagious. In addition to the hacterIo-
logical examinations of the abnormal
fluids surrounding the brain, spinal
cord, the urine, and the blood, clinical
and post mortim examinations were
made. All lessons learned in this work
point to the fact that the disease is
meningitis. Further investigation along
ARCHAEOLOGICAL lines is needed and is
being mace by the college. An effort
now is being made to produce a serum
xryf7f 01 n lat f17a
ut is our opinion said DR.. r. r.
Dykstra that diseased animals con
taminate the food and water supply
Healthy animals contract the disease
by taking the germ into their systems
with this contaminated food and water
Basing our conclusions on these find
ings we make the following recommen-
dations for the prevention of the dis
ease:
How to Prevent It.
Remove all litter and rubbish from
the barnyard or corral, and from the
managers. Thoroughly scrub out all
water buckets, troughs and tanks. Dis
infect all these premises and contain
ers by applying a liberal application of
some reliable disinfectant. such as ordi-
nary dip, 2 per cent carbolic acid, etc
Remove all horses from their accus-
TONED feeding or grs zing places and
place them in the disinfected corrals
and barns. Feed them green corn fod-
der, green silage and oil cake meal
or any food that has a laxative Every
time the horse is watered, from one
half to one teaspoonfuI of permangan-
ate Of potash should be put in each
bucketful Of water. Horses should be
kept away from diseased animals, and
all articles or places that have come
in direct contact with these animals
should be Immediately disinfected
Horses should be kept from pasture till
cooler weather begins. Diseased horses
should have & separate attendant and
all water buckets and other utensils
used for sick horses should be kept
way from healthy animals. These
measures should be thoroughly carried
out as half hearted attempts are use
less.
Cure for Afflicted Horses.
Most of the affected horses die. But
curative measures will help some The
following have given the best results:
Keep the animal in SHADY place
Place on top of the head cold packs
either of ice or water Or this mix
ture may be used: One pound of gIau-
Der salt, one pound of ordinary salt
and one pound of salt petre. To these
should be added a small quantity OF
vinegar Do not drench affected ami
mails as the throat is paralyzed and
they cannot swallow; drenching will
therefore result in lung fever. Every
two or three hours inject into the rec
tum about one-ha1f gallon of cold wa
ter, and three or four times daily in
ject in the same way some milk tc
which has been added two or three
well beaten eggs"
Information on the progress Of the
work being done by the college may
be obtained by writing to the veterinary |
department.