Report of the Chief Inspector of Stock. 243 



47 animals died in one night thrctugh goi-ging themselve.s with cape- 

 weed, others again through feeding on the black nightshade (Solaniim 

 nigrum). Of the action of this latter plant on stock, I cannot do 

 better than quote from the late Baron Von Mueller, at one time 

 Government Botanist in this State. Writing under date, 29/3/73, he 

 states, " I have the honor to inform you that the herb which produced 

 poisonous effects on the cattle of Broadmeadows is the Solanum 

 nigrum, called in Britain the annual nightshade. The most active 

 principle of Solanum nigrum is a glucosid (solanin), and this is most 

 strongly developed in the unripe berries. Solanin produces paralysis 

 of the extremities prior to death, when consumed in quantity." — {vide 

 Annual Report of the Secretary for Agriculture, 1873.) This opinion 

 is corroborated by the report of the then Government Analyst, thp 

 late Mr. Wm. Johnson, F.C.S., which accompanies Baron Von 

 Mueller's report. 



Worms in Hor.^es. — From various districts reports have come to 

 hand of losses occasioned by the presence, in large numbers, of worms 

 in the stomachs and intestines of these animals. At Sale particularly 

 there has been a heavy mortality among horses, caused by the pre- 

 sence in the stomach of great numbers of a worm, which on the 

 authority of Professor Spencer, of the Melbourne University, is the 

 Scelerostomus. These worms perforate the mucous membrane of the 

 stomach, and are present in great numbers. Their habitat appears to 

 be morass lands, and muddy water, and when they gain ingress to an 

 animal's stomach they appear to increase very rapidly in numbers. 



Tuberculosis. — During the year, the number of recorded (;ases of 

 tuberculosis has shown a marked decrease. 



Actinomycosis. — As might reasonably be expected in a season like 

 the past, there have been a number of cases of this disease recorded, 

 but few animals have been slaughtered on accouut of it, and then 

 only, when through the neglect of owners, the disease had assumed an 

 aggravated form, and the animal was worthless. From the northern 

 districts come reports of several cases of what are commonly known 

 as "grass lumps," whicli, however, when opened n]> freely rarely give 

 any further trouble. 



Swine Diseases. 



in the early part of the present year, a number of pig.'^ died iu duo 

 of the Northern districts through over-feeding at a boiling-down 

 establishment. The animals, stores, were allowed to gorge themselves 

 at will on the boiled meat, with the result that septic intoxication set 

 in. The pigs thus affected were covered with neci'otic sj)ots on the 

 belly, shoulders, fore-legs, throat and back. Many of them died, and 

 when the feeding conditions were altered the deaths ceased. Again in 

 March, Mr. John Robertson, Superintendent of the City Abattoirs, 

 directed my attention to a number of pigs condemned by him as unfit 

 for human consumption. Specimens from these animals submittt^d to 

 Dr. Bull, Bacteriologist at the Melbourne University, for hivestigation 



