The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-02-25
STAGGERS
i'm HORSES
Methods to Control the Disease Which
Is Causing Death Of Thousands Of
Head of Horses.
GOVERNMENT GIVES BULLETIN
Government Now Publishing Bulletin
Telling Of Treatment and These
May Be Had on Request.

Washington, d. c., Feb. 25-In past
years horses have died by the thous-
ands in Texas, Iowa, Kansas and Ne
braska from a disease affecting the
nervous system. popularity known as
blind staggers or forage poisoning.
The department Of agriculture has re-
ceived urgent requests for help
against this disease from sixteen diff
ferent states. and as result it is now
publishing bulletin containing defin-
lite instructions for combating this
disease.
The states that appealed to the de-
partment of agriculture for assistance
include the following: Colorado, Ken
lucky, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland,
Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ore
gon, North Carolina. South Carolina,
South Dakota, Virginia and West Vir-
ginia.
This shows the universally of the
disease. Kansas and Nebraska bore
the brunt of the affliction during the
past year, but other states have also
suffered seriously. Kansas has had
more than her share. Severe out
UIcdhS SAtcuuSu ONSI CilC Gil
tire state in 1891 and since that date
have REQUIRED with equal severity on
two occasions in various portions of
the state.
The bulletin takes notice of the fact
that additional deaths have undOubted-
ly been due to the use of fake "cures"
sold by INSCRIPTIONS persons. 1t is
reported that in Nebraska 'blackleg
vaccine" was used on at least 1900 I'M
affected horses, nearly 1900 OF which
are said to have died as a direct re-
suit.
Investigators have practically estab-
lished that this horse disease can be
controlled effectively only by total
change of feed and forage. 1t is
quite obvious that there is a direct
exposed pasturage and neWly-cut hay
or fodder which the horses eat, and
this cerebro-spinal meningitis, as the
disease is known to scientists. In
fact, eating of such forage when con-
taminated is undoubtedly the most i'm
portant cause. Over IS per cent of
cases of this disease in Kansas and
Nebraska during the outbreak Of 1912
were maintained under such conditions
Great care must be taken that
horses do not obtain the dangerous
forage unknown to their owners. The
owner OF one farm informed the de-
partments investigator that his dead
horses had eaten nothing but old hay
and grain.
| But what about the closely cropped
grass in this pasture?" remarked the
investigator, noticing the adjacent
field.
"O!" answered the farmer innocent
ly, 81 always turn the work horses in
to pasture over night"
Many horses have died from blind
staggers caused by eating mody baled
hay AS soon as the hay was elm
mated the diseast ceased. Other hOrs-
es in the vicinity not fed upon this
hay failed to contract this disease.
Later some CT the moldy bales were
opened and exposed to the sun for
three or four weeks. After this the
! hay was fed to horses without pro.
ducing any i'll effects. Forage poison
ing, therefore, seems not to be an in
| lection, but rather what is called
decentralization that is, it is due
to certain chemical poisons or toxins
formed by the activity of internal or
ganisms. These poisons may be pres
ent when the forage is taken into the
body or may be formed in the stom-
ach. The nature Of this poison is still
unknown
Characteristic Symptoms Of Disease.
When the horse is taken with the
blind staggers it usually exhibits a
disturbance of the appetite. depress-
sion and weakness, while there is
trouble in swallowing, dropping of
the head and sleepiness which may
give way to excitement and attacks
of dizziness. The vision is impaired
which results in the staggering gait
that gives the disease its popular
name. Certain muscles of the neck
and tanks are cramped and there is
| grinding of the teeth. Sometimes