The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-07
VAN ES WRITES
Of HORSE RAVAGE
Farm School Veterinarian
Tells Of Plague Among
Equines in Middle West

Fargo. N. D.. Oct. 7.-Dr. L. Van
Els. head of the veterinary department
of the agricultural college and who
has been studying the pestilence
among horses in Kansas n Nebraska
In an article on his investigations says
In part:
During the last few weeks. there
has occurred an extremely fatal dis
ease among the horses of Kansas and
Nebraska. The disease apparently
originating in Oklahoma or southern
Kansas has spread with great rapidity
to the north. finally crossing the
southern boundary Of the state of
South Dakota.
This entrance of so fatal a disease
into our territory may warrant of brief
discussion Of 1t in these columns.
even II 1t may seem presumptuous to
deal with the subject about which so
little is known. This little. however.
Is quite sufficient to deserve our clos
est attention.
Nature of Disease Unknown.
The nature of the disease under
consideration is absolutely unknown.
The symptoms clearly indicate that
they arise from certain disturbances
of the central system, yet a
naked eye examination Of those Or
gans disclose very little in the way Of
changes from the normal. Owing to
IlC DdIlSCS SCcll III
with the brain and spinal cord. the
disease is commonly referred to as
cerebro-spinal meningitis. although
careful observation will convince. my
n that there is little reason for this
name as the membranes enclosing the
organs mentioned are no inflamed or
materially changed in any way. It is
often seen that the blood vessels of
the enveloping membranes are over
filled with blood but the same is u.s.
ually the case in other parts of the
body. and the fact must be ascribed
to the mode Of death of the animals
examined. This Is not uncommonlN
accomplished by the cessation of the
respiratory function and this usually
brings about h accumulation of a
dark blood in the smaller veins OF the
body. a..
May Not Be Due to Nervous Organs.
While apparently the greater part
of the disturbances has its seat in the
central ervOu organs, 1t is by no
means certain. that they are primarily
involved as it is we'll possible that the
symptoms are due to some agent in
troduced or originating in some other
part Of the body.
In the light Of our present knowl-
edge, nothing definite a be said
about either the damage done to the
animal body or the causes of the dis
ease anu I'LL Sp0CuldtlOIS reSdrQlnS the
same should not be ~countenanced UNI
til proved to be true by scientific ex-
pertinent.
However, the explosive nature of
the outbreak and its more or less rapid
spread@,aMeze~ large area. Of 4eountrX,
strongly point out the direction in
which the cause of the trouble must
he looked for. q
When a large number OF animals in
a given area suddenly sicken. we do
not go far astray by ascribing the trou-
BILE to some form Of infection or to the
eating of some poisonous substance.
Mohldy Fodder One Cause.
In the opinion Of many. the theory
last named finds favor, principally be-
cause the disease so closely Stimulates
that caused by the feeding of mouldy
fodder.
The spreading of the disease over a
given territory, however. seems to in