The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1922-06-23

BY George r. White, State veterinar.
ian.

ian.
Botulism is an acute infectious dis
ease of animals, produced by the in
gestion Of feed upon which botulinus
bacilli have grown and developed.
Botulsm is also popularity alluded to
as Forage poison, Silage Poison,
Mould Poison, Cryptogamic Poison,
Blind Staggers etc.
Botulism frequently occurs in the
human family as a result of eating
meat-especially sausage-also cann-
ed fish, vegetables and fruits contain
mated with the botulinus bacillus. OF
course, such contamination of canned
products is always suggestive of faul-
ty methods of sterilization at the time
of processing. Most readers of this
article will readily recall that only a
few years ago quite an extensive out
break Of human botulism occurred
in different parts of the United
States as a result of eating certain
brand of canned ripe olives. Several
of the affected persons died in spite
of the heroic efforts of our best ply
sicians to save them.
Horses and mules are the must sus-
eptable animals to this disease.
Chickens and turkeys contract il
readily. Cattle, swine. sheep and
goats are for some unexplained reas-
on slightly susceptible. When once
contracted, the disease runs a rapid
course and the termination is usually
fatal. 0ftentimes a large number Of
animals in the same barn are stimuli
taneously attacked resulting in ire
mendous monetary losses.
Since the causative agent is known
to be the botulinus bacillus and the
development of this bacillus closely
related to mould and decomposition,
then it is logical to conclude that all
reasonable and practicable safe
guards should be taken in the pre-
paration Of grain and forage as feed
for live stock.
Under certain climatic and temper
ature conditions, the botulinus bacil-
lus grows politically on corn stalks
in the field, corn in the crib, ensilage
in the silo and hay in the NOW.
1t is now a well established fact
that ensilage is an excellent culture
media for this bacillus. While a
mouldy or decomposition condition of
feed is suggestive of danger, still it
is by no means positive proof that the
feed is infected with botulinus bacil-
lus.
As concrete evidence of this we
have as an example the mould or mil.
dew now prevailing throughout the
length and breadth of Tennessee, on
the leaves Of red clover growing in
the fields.
While the whitish deposit is a form
of well developed mould, still we posi-
lively know that it is harmless to live
stock when fed to them. We are also
amply justified in concluding that the
reason this whitish mould is harmless
is because it is not associated with
the growth and development of the
botulinu bacillus. On the other hand,
being visibly free from mould and de-
composition is not conclusive evidence
that feed stuff is free from botulinus
bacillus infection. There is no method
available to the average live stock
owner or feeder whereby he may by
observing the physical appearance Of
feed known whether any particular
batch is or is not infected with the
growth Of mould in which the botuli-
nus bacillus is present. The writer's
hest advico IN live cfnrk ourv,avo 10 -
exercise every reasonable precaution
toward preventing disease by proper
care and careful selection of the feed
supply. Avoid entirely the feeding of
ensilage to horses and mules.
In the event either horse or mule
develops the old fashioned symptoms,
we have all so often seen in "Blind
Staggers" or Forage Poison" cases,
then the observer should know that
botulism is the disease in question
and the feed, regardless of its kind or
character, is the cause. The only log
ical precautionary measure is to i'm
mediately discontinue feeding this in
fected material to the remainder of
the live stock on that farm.
In conclusion, the writer desires to
state that doubt yet exists in the
minds of some we'll informed men,
bers of the veterinary profession as
to the efficiency either as a preventa-
tive or curative agent, of the botuli-
uns antitoxin now being placed on the
american market.