The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1918-03-14


Several horses died at the Sfell
mon place west Of town the lattel
lpart Of last week. Two Of then
belonged to Mrs. Ida Convey, -four
10 Jack Stellmon and one to RALPH
Stellmon. The supposition il
that they were poisoned BIZ eat.
ing the straw, something new Il
us, and we would suggest that Il
might be a good idea TO invesfi-
gate the matter little more close.
" and ascertain if they did die
from poison, how the poison GOT
IN the straw pile, and If the poisoll
was caused by nature why nature
does not act the same on all straw
piles. Nezperce Herald.
The above, taken from the Nez.
perez Herald, should warn the
farmers 10 be more careful at this
season of the year as to what their
animals are feeding on. Every
winter in various parts Of the
grain-raising localities, many ami
mails are lost from q condition
known as strawsfaek poison
ing."
The Register, q few months ago.
published an article by DR. ii. G..
Luce, Of the Department Of veteri-
nary Science of the University of
Idaho, which gave the cause,
symptoms and treatment concern
ing this strawstaek poisoning. !"
The cause Of the disease is
grayiGh black mould which de-
velops on the straw. This mould
seems 10 be most dangerous after
IL becomes wet from rain or snow
and is frozen and the sun comes
out warm and balmy the next
morning. The animals viii then
be seen around the stack picking
out the frozen spots and eafing
them. They seem 70 have an alb
normal appetite for this frozen
m0uidy straw. The damage is
done by a toxin, or poison, which
is formed when this frozen, moul-
dy straw is acted upon by the d.
gestive juices. ID paralyscs the
entire body aud especially the
intestinal tact, and acts like a
narcotic such as ehloroform.
The very first symptoms nofie-
ed are 3 staggering gait, followed
by dr0wsiness. The animals win
then lie down, generally around
the stack. They viii be all stretch
ed out as though sleeping in the
sun. Ii disturbed, they are unable
70 rise. Some of them win lie
there and struggle. unable to rise,
depending upon the amount TAX
en- into the system.
Inasmneh as proper medical at
tention Is not often available in
the farming communities, we re-
publish part Of the article giving
the treatment Of the disease,
and would advise the farmers to
clip il ont and paste Il in their
hats. II is the advice of DR.. Luce
and Is, therefore, reliable. II is
as follows:
Preventative Treatment.
After the animal goes down il
il quite sure TO be lost. The best
treatment is preventative. There
fore, watching the band during
the freezing nights and balmy
days, seeing that the frozen, moul-
dy straw is out Of reach and that
only clean, bright straw is eaten.
This can be done either by fenc-
ing the stack securely and pitch
ing out the clean straw for the
animals, or keeping the animals
up and hauling the clean STRAW
to a feed lot or barn for the ami
mails.
Medical Treatment.
The first thing to be done Is to
empty the digestive tract of its
contents by the use of purga-
tive. This should be done TO ev-
cry animal OF the band having ae-
cess TO the stack, whether symp-
toms are shown or not. After the
animal goes down, you have
hard, losing fight. Do not feed
for "a hours and start treatment
Immediately.
For the average animal. use
either one Of the following:
Raw linseed oil, one full quart,