The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1913-07-19
Saturday, July 19 1918.
WATCH YOUR PASTURES.

of Kansas, and some Of the contigu
Gus commonwealth, a disease which
destroyed an immense number Of
horses and mules, amounting, in the
aggregate, to several millions of dol
lars in value.
"At the time, when the press of the
entire time was giving space in its
pages to the Kansas horse plague the
Picayune asked the writer to give an
opinion on the subject for publication
which he did. The diagnosing of dis.
ease at long range is by no means a
satisfactory method of arriving at true
conditions. However, from what we
thought to be somewhat similar ex-
periences in Louisiana at different
times, and while not being posted as to
the history of the Kansas outbreak, we
gave it as our opinion that the trouble
might, and probably was, due to a fun
gus condition of the vegetation or 9TH
er feeding materials that the animals
were getting.
THE whole country seemed to have
cen aroused at the time of the Kansas
Outbreak, and authorities from all parts
of the country were called in by Gov
ernor Stubs to make Investigations
with the view of Offering some sugges-
tons or curative methods that might
stay the scourge, for which he offered
$1,000 reward. The apparently obscure
ailment formed the subject of many
scientific papers and many theories
were advanced concerning it. At last
however, a conclusion seems to have
been arrived at, as a press dispatch
from Topeka, Kans., dated July 8, and
which appears in the Picayune of this
date, the 9th, has the following to say:
That the plague which killed more
than 25,000 horses and mules in Kansas
last year was not an infectious dis
ease, but due to poison, was the report
to-day of the Special Commission of
the University of Kansas appointed by
the governor to investigate. The re-
port stated that there was no known
cure for the ailment from which the
animals suffered, and that the climat-
ic conditions which produced it proba-
bly, will not prevail again in many
years. A parasitic fungus growing on
the grains and other vegetation caused
the death of the animals, according to
the report, and the poisonous condi-
tons in the pastures was due to the
excessive moisture and humidity, &C
companied by high temperatures.
st has at last|been found out, there
fore, after all this time, that the con-
ditions prevailing in Kansas, and de-
stroying so many of their animals
which amounted in money value, if we
mistake not, to something like $6,0O0,-
900, were similar to those which we
frequently experienced in Louisiana,
and which formed the basis of the
writer's opinion given to the Picayune
t the time as being the probable cause
of their trouble. There are quite
number of technical names which have
been applied to this disease, such as
mycotic cerebritis, cerebral mycosis |
meningitis, cerebro-spinal meningitis, |
etc., but the nonprofessional man will |
realize it best by the ordinary, every
day name Of 'staggers,' with it's yari. |
Gus phases, mad, blind, sleepy stag
gers, ETC., and which, although long
suspected, has now evidently been |
proved to be caused by poisonous
principle elaborated by some varieties |
of fungi attacking the food of herbivor.
Gus animals in certain favorable sea.
sons when sufficient heat and mois.
ture prevail. If the Kansas people
had looked into the condition of the
food supply of their animals, and had
rejected everything suspicious of be-
ing attacked by mold or fungi, as is
always recommended when similar
arise in live stock in Louisi.
ana, they would have saved millions
of dollars. The lesson is severe one.
from which they will no doubt profit |
in time to come.
And while our object in sending
this communication is not meant to
attract any attention to the personal
equation, we think we may be par
doned if, on this occasion, we modest
ly make use of the common express.
sion, I told you So And while writ |
ing on the subject it might be we'll to |
make the statement that the weather |
at present prevailing in the state is |
just such as favors the development of |
vegetable parasitic organisms of all |
kinds. Those which produce the con-