rOISOMNc; ()!•- CATTL1-: BY FliliUINC ON I'ASPAI.UM DILATATUM 395 



Symptoms. 



The symptoms in the affected animals vary in intensity from 

 a sHght inco-ordination of movements to complete paralysis. 

 Hyperresthesia and increased respirations were not so marked 

 in the cases which occurred under natural conditions as were 

 noted in those produced experimentally. 



In the majority of instances the natural cases were com- 

 paratively mild; the symptoms shown consisted of staring coat, 

 high-stepping movement of the front legs in walking, defective 

 vision indicated by an absence of any attempt to avoid holes 

 in the ground or obstacles, occasional stumbling, lateral swaying 

 of the hindquarters, and a general lowering of muscular tone. 

 Appetite was unimpaired in the early stages, but later there was 

 loss of appetite, and in consequence the animal had a " tucked- 

 up " appearance. The most acute cases were seen among some 

 i8-months-old oxen which had been feeding on infected grass 

 for some weeks. Here cases of partial paralysis were noted, 

 and these affected animals exhibited marked symptoms of 

 hypersesthesia, hurried respirations, and a rapid thready pulse. 



Mortality. 



A few cases of deaths from the condition were reported, 

 but in none of the outbreaks personally investigated did any 

 mortality occur. This may have been due to the fact that in 

 these cases the owners were advised to remove the animals at 

 once and provide good nursing for badly affected animals, but 

 in general it may be taken that in uncomplicated cases the mor- 

 tality is almost negligible. The resulting loss of condition is 

 the economic factor most to be considered, and, though clinically 

 affected animals recover from the acute symptoms fairly rapidly, 

 it requires a considerable time on a good nursing diet to recover 

 from the eft'ects of the intoxication, and the animals' general 

 physique, especially in growing animals, suffered in consequence. 



Treatment. 



The treatment which was found to give most rapid results, 

 after the necessary removal from the Paspalum lands, consisted 

 of a saline purge followed by a few days' rationing on green 

 lucerne or barley, the idea being merely to prevent further 

 ingestion, and to assist in elimination of the unabsorbed toxic 

 elements in the digestive tract. 



Prophylactic measures consist of reaping and collection of 

 the grass during the flowering season, at which time the material 

 collected from the lands may be fed to cattle with perfect safety. 

 Burning of unreaped lands during the winter will have the effect 

 of destroying most of the resting forms of the fungus, but this 

 procedure is not to be recommended on account of harmful 



