The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1914-03-05
Methods To Control Blind Staggers, Which
Is Causing The Death Of Thousands Of
Horses.

Is Causing The Death VI thousands VI
Horses.
Washington D. c. Feb. Is. III pas,
years horses have died by the thous-
ands in Texas, Iowa, Kansas, and
Nebraska from a disease affecting the
nervous system, popularly known as
bind staggers or forage poisoning.
The Department OF Agriculture has
received urgent requests for help
against this disease from 10 different
states, and as result it is now publish
ing bulletin containing definite in
structions for combating this disease,
The states that appealed to the de-
partment of Agriculture for assistance
include the following:
Colorado, Maryland, North Carolina,
Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, Oregon,
Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina,
w. Virginia Louisiana, New Jersey,
South Dakota.
This shows the universally Of the
disease. Kansas and Nebraska, bore
the brunt OF the affection during the
past year but other states have also
suffered seriously. Kansas has had
more than her share. Severe outbreaks
extended over almost the entire State
in 1891 and since that date have re-
cured with equal severity on two oc'
casions in various portions of the
State.
The bulletin takes notice Of the fact
that additional deaths have undoubted-
ly been due TO the use ofiake cures"
sold by INSCRIPTIONS persons. 1t is
reported that in Nebraska "black-leg
vaccine" was used on at least 1000
unaffected horses, nearly 1900 OF which
are said to have dieG as a direct result.
Investigators have practically estab-
lished that this horse disease can be
controlled effectively only by a total
change Of feed and forage. 1t is quite
obvious that there is a direct connect
ion between the green forage, 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 contaminated is
undoubtedly the most important cause.
Over IS per cent Of cases Of this dis
ease 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 un-
known 10 their owners. The owner oi
one farm informed the Department. S
/
investigator that his dead horses had
eaten nothing but old hay and grain.
But what about the closely crop
ped grass in this pasture7" remarked
the investigator, noticing the adjacent
field.
"OhI" answered the farmer inno'
Gently, Il always turn the work-horse
into pasture over night"
Many horses have died from blind
staggers caused by eating moldy baled
hay. As soon as the hay was elimin.
ated the disease ceased. Other horses
in the vicinity not fed upon this hay
failed 10 contract this diease. Later
some nf the moldy bales were opened
and exposed to the sun for three Of
four weeks. After this the hay wa'
fed to the horses without producing
any i'll effecr. Forage poisoning, there.
fore seems not TO be an injection bu
rather what is called auto intoxication'
that is, it is due to certain chemica
poisons or toxins formed by the ac
tivity Of internal organisms. These
poisons may be present when the for
age is taken into the body or may bt
formed in the stomach. The nature
OF this poison is still unknown.
When the horse is taken with tht
blind stsggers it ususally exhibits |
disturbance Of the appetite, depression
and weakness, while there is trouble
in swallowing, dropping Of the heat
and sleepiness which may give way tt