Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-09-20
'EoRAeE POISONING OR So
CALLED cEREBRo-sPINAL
MENINGITIS OF HORSES.
The Cause Of the plsease,

During the last five months numer-
Gus reports have been received by
the Bureau of Animal Industry rela-
tive to the existence of forage poi
soning in various sections of the
, United States, particularly in Louis
lana, West Virginia, Kansas and Ne
hraska. 1t has usually occurred wheT
a hot, dry period has been followed
by rains, or during wet esasons, es-
specially those which are character
lied by frequent rains alternating
with hot sunshine, producing a damp
=sultry. atmosphere. Such conditions
are most favorable to the production
90f mods, and all outbreaks that have
been investigated by the bureau
have been traced to the eating of un-
sound or moldy forage or feed or to
The drinking of watSr from wells or
pools containing surface water drain
ed through decomposed or moldy veg
ttatiol. The disease has been shown
20 be also due to eating damaged en-
silage, hay, corn, brewers grains,
oats, etc. Horses and mules at pas
tWe may contract the disease when
che growth Of grass is so profuse
That it mats together and the lower
part dies and ferments or becomes
moldy.- No specific organism or viris
has yet been found which can be con.
sidered as the cause of this disease.
How the Disease May Be Recognized.
The sO-called cerebro-spinsd menin-
gifts of horses being an entirely diff
terent disease from that which &C.
ours in man, the symptoms ais we'll as
theB'cause are distinctly different. In
the most rapidly fatal attacks death
takes place in from 5 to As hours.
Such cases begin from violent trem-
ding or stupor and extreme weak
ness, or with staggering gait, partial
Or total inability to swallow, impair
ing of eyesight, followed by partial
Or complete paralysis, inability to
stand, with marked delirium, during
which the animal lying flat on its
Side becomes violent and knocks and
bruises its head. In the second form
OF the disease the same line of symp-
toms may be noticed in a miIder de-
gree. Difficulty in swallowing. slow
ness in chewing the food and inabil.
NY to switch the tail are observed.
breathing becomes heavy and noisy
and delirium may develop with stiff
ness OF the spinal muscles or partial
cramp of the neck and Jaws. Death
occurs in from 6 to 10 days. In the
aast or mfdest form the lack of vol
untary control of the limbs becomes
out slightly marked, the power of
swallowing never entirely lost, and
the animal has no fever, pain, or un-
conscious movements. In those cases
winch get well the animal generally
begins to improve about the fourth
aay and goes on to recovery. One
attack does not protect against a
second attack, as horses and mules
nave been known to have the disease
two or three times.
How the Disease May be Prevented
and Treated.
The first principle in the treatment
coz the disease consists In a total
Snange of feed and forage. Horses
Kept in the stable should be fed with
Sound forage and grain from an un.
contaminated source, even if such
reed has to be brought from a. dis
lance. Horses that have become af.
Qected while at pasture should be re-
moved from the field in which thew
nave been running. The animals
snouid be brought to the barn or cor.
raj and fed ON wholesome and clean
tee' and forage. The water, unless
from an unpolluted source, should
likewise be changed.
AT present this preventive treat
menf is the only satisfactory method
known for checking the disease ss
an medicinal remedies used have
Oeen unsatisfactory in the vast majol
ity Of cases. The first stem is IF
empty the bowels and remove the
POISONOUS products, but on account O
tne difficulty in swallowing, am aloes
oaH or GlauberS salt is hard to give
IN TACT no. remedy should be giver
Oy the mouth if the throat is para
Q iyzed' as pneumonia is liable to re
sun, Fifteen grains Of barium chic
nd injected INTO the jugular vein. O,
grains Of eserin under the skim. I
tne animal is not too greatly deuress
o "a. viii usually act promptly. Jntes
AAl diSlnectants such as calomel
saiieyhc acid, and creolin are ais,
used. If much weakness is show,
and the temperature is below norma
All