564 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The Other four experiments, including those in which the larger 

 numbers of animals were fed, show, on the contrary, a larger con- 

 sumption of staple foods when the condimental foods were em- 

 ployed, but a smaller gain in weight in proportion to the food con- 

 sumed; so that the effect of the condiment was to diminish the pro- 

 ductive value of the normal ration; thus causing a net loss greater 

 than the added cost of the condiment itself. Such effect can be 

 readily accounted for by the fact that, beyond a certain point, in- 

 creased food consumption overburdens the digestive system and 

 there is a diminution in the proportion of the food digested. 



Respecting the value of these preparations in case of disease, it is 

 merely to be noted that well developed disease requires special treat- 

 ment according to the nature of the disorder; that no man ever suc- 

 ceeded in producing a panacea or cure-all by compounding into a 

 single mixture of the drugs listed among the materia medica and 

 that the constant feeding of active medicines to healthy animals 

 does not tend to ward off disease, but rather to set up serious dis- 

 turbances. Thus Hess, Schaff'er and Lang note (Exp. Station Record, 

 5, 818-9) that the Swiss practice of substituting 1^ to 2 ounces daily 

 of Glauber's salts in lieu of common salt in the diet of cows, quickly 

 produces catarrh of intestines and udder, mammitis, caking and 

 bloody milk; and that the milk produced did not froth in the pail nor 

 react readily with rennet, and tasted of the salts. Furthermore, by 

 constant dosing, the system becomes less responsive to the stimulus 

 of the drug, and requires increasing doses or new remedies to se- 

 cure the desired reactions. 



With respect to the aromatics and tonics commonly used in these 

 mixtures, it is noteworthy that all, save pepper, cayenne pepper and 

 gentian, are so mild in their effects that they are rarely used for 

 medicinal purposes where pronounced disorders are to be cured. 

 Furthermore, they form a very small part of the entire mixture and 

 are given in too small quantities to promise any considerable reme- 

 dial effect. 



It will not do, however, to infer that such mixtures are never 

 useful, even though they do not cause the healthy animal to improve 

 in its functional activities, do not ward off disease, nor promise 

 cure of well developed disorders. When used in sufficient quantity, 

 they may serve to arouse a flagging appetite, secure the consump- 

 tion of food when too little variety is available, or when it is in- 

 ferior in quality; or stimulate a depressed system to the point of di- 

 gestive activity, as cayenne rouses the adynamic stomach of the 

 drunkard. In such cases, when salt alone has failed to correct the 

 undesirable condition, and change of staple diet is impossible, a con 

 dimental mixture may be helpful. 



Pott (Ldw, Futtermittel, 679 seq,) urges the desirability of giving 

 to sheep fed upon too damp pastures, a salt lick composed of a mix- 

 ture of salt, roasted malt, wormwood, gentian, juniper berries or fir 

 twigs, tansy, yarrow, or calamus, willow bark, etc., and also occa- 

 sionally copperas. For horses, he commends a mixture of salt and 

 juniper berries, or salt, fenugreek, calamus, licorice root, anise, cara- 

 way, tansy, wormwood and gentian, besides Glauber's salts, baking 

 soda and flowers of sulphur, in equal parts. For cow^s, a mixture of 

 one part of fennel, caraway or anise seed, with small quantities of 

 juniper berries, tansy and wormwood, one part of fenugreek and 



