452 POISONING OF CATTLE TA' DIPLODI A-INFECTED MAIZE. 



marked clinical symptoms develop, recovery is fairly rapid. The 

 appetite returns, and the animal feeds on green stuft's freely. 

 The symptoms of paralysis disappear in a few days, but stiffness 

 in movements persists for some time. In one case which recovered, 

 knuckling over at the fetlocks continued for over a week when 

 other symptoms had disappeared, and the animal developed ;i bon\- 

 callus on the anterior aspect cf the fetlock joints of the fore 

 legs. 



The temperature shows practically no alteration throughout 

 the illness. The pulse is early affected, becoming rapid and 

 thready, and, in the case which terminated fatally, almost im- 

 perceptible for the last two days of life. 



Lesions on post-mortem : 



In one case, which was available for examination, the chief 

 lesions present were a well-marked catarrhal enteritis affecting 

 the small and large intestines, acute diffuse hyperaemia of both 

 kidneys, and well-marked congestion of both lungs. 



Mortality : 



The mortality varies considerably on the various farms. In 

 some, practically all the animals which develop symptoms succumb, 

 and in others a large percentage recover. It would appear that 

 the mortality is greater in the latter part of the season. 



Treatment. 



No treatment was adopted in the case of the animals which 

 recovered, and in which the disease had been artificially produced, 

 other than good nursing. It is necessary to remove the animals 

 at once from the lands as soon as the initial symptoms appear. 

 Affected animals should be given a saline purge, so as to empty 

 the intestines of digested irritant material. The animal should, 

 if possible, be housed and given some green food, or, if none is 

 available, an addition of a daily dose of linseed oil to the 

 ordinary food as indicated. 



Prevention. 



Collection of all damaged cobs at the harvestinji^ should 

 be practised. As the suspected causal fungus is most prevalent 

 in old mealie lands, these lands should be allowed to lie fallow for 

 a few seasons, or, if this is impossible owing to lack of other 

 suitable agricultural lands on the farm, strong measures should 

 be adopted in order to get rid of the fungus itself on the lands. 

 In view of the fact that the fungus had been demonstrated in 

 the stalks, as well as in the cobs, it would be advisable to burn off 

 all the vegetation in the lands as soon after the mealies were 

 harvested as was possible. By this means complete sterilisation 

 of the whole area would be ensured, and, in the following season, 

 the cattle might be allowed access to the mealie lands with safety. 



It is strongly recommended, however, whatever general treat- 

 ment of the lands is carried out, that, on succeeding years, all 

 cobs should be harvested. 



