FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 215 



This work has gciierally to be loft to the strong; tinii of tlie f^overiimeiit, and 

 a coniinissiou appointed for the especial purpose, sucli coniniissioii being etn- 

 powered to en)ploy men who are experts, or those whose thorough training has 

 eminently fitted tliom for the work. Suc'n a commission has but recently been 

 appointed to investigate the disease known as "hog cholera,"' and whicli has 

 caused such vast losses to the farmers and breeders of our country. 



The report of the Commissioner of Agriculture gives as the approximate 

 losses for the year 1877-8 over §10,000,000 from that cause alone, while the 

 losses from other kinds of live stock swell the amount to over IG^- millions 

 ($16, 053, 428). Tlie live stock interests of our country are immense. In a 

 report on the number and value of live stock in the United States we find that 

 there were over 100,000,000 domestic animals, valued at $1,047,719,138. 

 (You will thus see that our stock losses are about 10 per cent, of the valuation.) 

 This number and their aggregate value seems so vast that I will give you the 

 report for Michigan, in which I find nearly 5,000,000 domestic animals 

 (4,983,100), valued at over $00,000,000 ($60,505,170). This shows you that 

 nearly one-twentieth of the live stock of the United States is found in Michigan, 

 and about one-twenty-seventh of its value held in our midst. 



In the matter of milch cows we find that one-fifth of the value of the live 

 stock of tiie State is of this class; while taking the United States together we 

 find nearly tlie same proportion existing. This will ex])lain to you in a measure 

 the interest we should take in this subject, while beside this I feel that there 

 is little definitely understood about the nature of the disease and its prevention, 

 or its treatment after the attack. 



History and General Characieristics. 



This disease known as milk fever is, properly speaking, not a fever at all, 

 and so far as the secretion of milk is concerned may or may not afl:ect it. 

 Even among those who were skilled in veterinary science, until a comparative 

 late day, much division of opinion has existed. xVccording to Fleming it has 

 been called at various times puerperal fever, or paralytic form of the same, 

 milk fever, puerperal apoplexy, paraplegia (paralysis of both sides of the ani- 

 mal), vitulary fever, vitulary apoplexy, puerperal typhus, etc., etc. In Eng- 

 land it is called parturient apoplexy. The first notice of it is said to be in a 

 work published in London in 1807. Shortly after this, as the various breeds 

 became improved and more valuable, the disease began to attract attention 

 from its greater frequency. It usually attacks the best cows in the herd, — those 

 that are heavy milkers and those that are in good tlesh, or fat. 



It has attracted some attention in various parts of our own State, and has 

 been attributed to various causes, and called by various names, as horn dis- 

 temper, calving fever, etc. Various modes of treatment are prescribed varying 

 with the ideas of individuals, and usually not very definite and ap])licable. 



Sijmptonis. 



The animal is usually attacked within twenty-four hours after parturition 

 has taken i)lace, and with no warning or premonitory symptoms. The cow has 

 usually had an easy delivery (the placenta having passed away at the usual 

 time), and appears well and even lively. Suddenly there is an exhibition of 

 uneasine?s and drooping of the head, dullness, with weeping of the eyes, lowing 

 as if in pain, food is refused or taken sparingly, rumination ceases, the cow 

 pays little or no attention to the young calf, of which she was so fond. There 



