Poisoning of Cattle. l4o 



(Iriiiks fairly well. It cobs are .still adiniiiisiered to tlie animal the 

 syinptonis Ijecome more pronounced, and soon the animal is unable 

 to stand on being' lifted. It remains lying on the ground, feeding 

 occasionally. Constipation now ensues, the faeces which are passed 

 being coated with mucous, wliich is blood-tinged. Death is preceded 

 by a complete loss of tone of the muscles, the animal lying stretched 

 out and comparatively limp. 



If feeding on the mealie cobs is discontinued when well-marked 

 clinical symptonis develop, recovery is fairly rapid. The appetite 

 leturns and the animal feeds on green stuffs freely. The symptoms of 

 ])aralysis disappear in a few days, but stiffness in movements persists 

 foi' some time. In one case w^hich recovered, knuckling over at the 

 fetlocks continued iov over a week when other symptoms had 

 disappeared and the animal developed a bony callus on the anterior 

 aspect of 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 termimtted fatally almost imperceptible for the 

 last two days of life. 



Lesions on Fost-Mortem . — In one case which was available for 

 examination the cliief lesions present Avere a well-marked catarrhal 

 enteritis, affecting the small and large intestines. Acute diffuse 

 hyperaemia of both kidneys and well-marked congestion of both lungs. 



Moitalifi/. — The mortality varies considerably on the various 

 farms. In some, practically all the animals which develop symptoms 

 succumb, while in others a large percentage recover. It would appear 

 that tlie mortality is greater in the lattei' pait of the season. 



Treatment. — No treatment was adopted in the case of the animals 

 which recovered and in which the disease had been artificially pro- 

 duced, 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 ingested irritant material. The animal 

 should, if possible, be housed and given some green food, oi" if none 

 is available an addition of a daily dose of linseed oil to the ordinary 

 food is indicated. 



Fievention. — Collection of all danuiged cobs at the harvesting 

 sliould be practised. As the suspected causal fungus is most prevalent 

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

 season or, if this is impossible owing to lack of other suitable agri- 

 cnltuial lands on the farm, strong measures sliould be adopted 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 

 woiild be advisable to burn off all the vegetation in the lands as soon 

 after the mealies are hai'V'ested as was possible. By this means, 

 complete sterilization 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 

 shoidd be harvested. 



