The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1912-09-13
MENINGITIS is KILLING
HORSES IN KANSAS
Is Not Contagious But Horses May Be-
come Infected, Experts say-Are
Searching for a Serum.

III CcTeDTO-Spludl mOhih6i'io
killing horses by the hundreds in west
ern Kansas. Expert veterinarians at
the Kansas Agricultural college an
nounced this after very careful study
Of the disease in the field and in the
laboratory. The department bacteriol-
ogist has discovered germ, which, IL
is believed, causes the disease, and
this germ is very similar to the one
which causes cerebro-spinal menlngi-
ties in human beings. The germ, when
injected into guinea pig, caused its
death within forty-eight hours. 1t is
known technically as diplo-coccus.
Because of the fact that the germ
has been isolated, 1t is believed that
the present outbreak is infectious but
not contagious. In addition to the bac-
THEOLOGICAL examinations of the abnor-
NAL fluids surrounding the brain, spl-
nal cords, the urine and the blood,
clinical and post norton examinations
were made. All lessons learned in this
work point to the fact that the disease
is meningitis. Further investigation
along meteorological lines is needed
and is being made by the college. An
effort now is being made to produce
a serum with which to combat the dis
ease.
1T 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 recon-
mendations for the prevention Of the
disease:
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
ordinary dip, two per cent carbolic
acid, etc.
Remove all horses from their ac-
customed feeding or grazing places
and place them in the disinfected cor
rails and barns. Feed them green corn
fodder, green silage and oil cake meal,
or any food that has laxative action.
Every time the horse is watered, from
one-half to one teaspoonful of perman-
ganate 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 dfsinfected
Horses should be kept from pasture
till cooler weather begins. Diseased
horses should have a separate attend
ant, and all water buckets and otner
utensils used for sick horses should be
kept away from healthy animals. These
measures should be thoroughly carried
out, as half-hearted attempts are use
less.
Most of the affected horses die.
But curative measures will help some.
The following have given the best re-
suits:
Keep the animal in shady place.
Place on top of the head cold packs,
either of ice or water Or this mixture
may be used: One pound Of clauber
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 anil
mails, as the throat is paralyzed and
they cannot swallow; drenching Will
therefore, result in lung fever. Ev-
cry two or three hours inject into the
rectum abont one-half gallon OF colo
water. and three or four times daily
inject in the same way some milk to
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.