Evening star., 1932-05-17
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Three bureaus of the Department OF
Agriculture have joined hands to solve
the mystery of poison spots in the
northern Great Plains region.
Somewhere In the heart Of this coun-
trySide is an area covering approx
mately two counties where, on certain
fields, horses, cattle and pigs develop a
strange physiological condition, which
in extreme cases ends In paralysis and
death. 1t leads to an enormous en-
largement of the hoofs of cows and
horses and an elongation Of the toes"
Of swine. Pigs have been shown with
the two sides of the hoof grown out
into talon-like appendages nearly
foot long Besides there are internal
changes, especially in the bones, and
the general physiology Of the animal
Is badly disturbed.
Held Due to Mineral.
1t has been almost demonstrated that
the condition is due to a mineral in
the soil which Is taken up by plants,
which appear to suffer no bad effects.
These plants are eaten by the animals
and the strange malady results. One
very rare mineral has been found,
which produces serious results when
fed to animals In comparatively small
quantities. Preliminary experiments
indicate it can be taken up by
plants scattered through this region,
and it appears to be absent in those
fields the grain from which does not
produce deleterious effects on the live
stock. 1t Is described as the most likely
clue to date. Experimental feeding,
however, does not produce entirely
identical results. The research is being
pushed vigorously in the bureaus Of
and Plant Industry.
Thus far 1t has not been possible to
show any bad effects on human beings
living in the area, although they eat
the same grains as the animals and
drink the local water, which some be-
lieve may contain some Of the poisonous
mineral. The preliminary researches
indicate that the condition is a Gu
mulative one with the animals, al
though this point has not been entirely
cleared up. The poison, whatever 1t Is,
appears to produce its worst effects on
young animals.
It has been shown that the poison
exists in wheat, corn and hay grown
on the poison fields" in the area. The
unverifled presumption is that the
is taken up by all vegetation.
1t is well known that certain mineral
elements are taken by growing plants
from the soil-including iron and
copper Parts of these minerals essential
for human diet are obtained from vege-
table food. There Is no reason to sup
pose that others may not be taken up
in the same manner.
Immunity Unexplained.
The apparent immunity of human
beings in the area Is unexplained They
must be getting some Of the mineral
into their systems, as we'll as the live
stock. Possibly, due to their smaller
and more varied diet, they get much
less of tan amount well below the
limit of physiological tolerance. Pos
Sibly the mineral has a chemical aff-
nifty for some part Of the plant which
ordinarily is not eaten by man but
which Is devoured by animals. Possibly
there are bad-or even good effects
which can be uncovered only by an in
tensive study. For this purpose efforts
are being made to enlist the co-opera-
ton of the Public Health Service. The
physiological effect of this particular
element on humans has been little IN
vestigated and there are some indica-
tions that an intensive study will un-
cover relationships Of interest to
medicine.
The condition has been known locally
for almost a century. The first troop Of
cavalry to enter the region during the
period of the Indian wars found an un-
explainable condition of lameness de-
veioping among its horses. The same
condition was noted by the earliest
settlers.
Nevertheless, it was pointed out,
farmers have been able to make living
in the country through the years. De-
spite occasional rather serious stock
losses the condition has remained prac-
tically unknown outside the region it
self. The farmers simply called 1t
"alkali disease" This is a general name
for all those abnormal situations which