lo March, 1909. j Diseases of Farm Animals. 153 



it ought to be). If kept over three days it became whitened with a fungus 

 like mould, and became rotten and stinking. Usually, the feed troughs 

 were cleaned out before fresh ensilage was given, but not always; hence, 

 the mould fungus was cultivated. This went on for three weeks, some 

 of the hoTses working down thin. As soon as the tank was finished, 

 they were turned into paddocks for a .spell. (Grain is very scarce in this 

 district.) 



The first case of illness noticed was a station mare in a yard standing 

 at the feed trough at midday on 3rd July. She was bled, and a dose of 

 oil was given her. She died on the evening of that day. This mare 

 had eaten nothing but ensilage for the preceding eight days. Previously 

 she had been in a grass paddock. 



The next animal noticed to be ill was one of a pair used to draw out 

 the dead animal. She had eaten ensilage for nine days. She was in a 

 low condition, and was nearly knocked up w'hile employed at the wo-rk. 

 On the same day she died. 



The third animal taken ill was a valuable four- year-old draught entire 

 horse. He had never been in the paddock, nor had he been worked. 

 He was kept in the yard during the day, and was put into a stable at 

 night. He had been fed on ensilage only for the last six weeks. It was 

 noticed that he was lying in the yard on Saturday. He was bled, and 

 oil was given to him. He died the same night. 



The fourth animal attacked was a station hack. He had been fed 

 on ensilage onlv for six weeks; was taken ill on Sunday and died on 

 Tuesday. 



The fifth animal taken ill was a draught hoTse. He had been tank- 

 sinking, and had been kept at the tank with the other horses. He was 

 5 or 6 miles from the station, and there fed on ensilage and a few oats 

 for six weeks. He was turned into a paddock situate 4 miles from the 

 station with several others when the work was completed. On Monday 

 he was seen ill, and was too weak to walk home. He fell and died in 

 the paddock during Tuesday night. 



The sixth, a draught 'horse (companion to the last-mentioned), seerned 

 all right on Monday. On Tuesday he was lying down. Upon being 

 roused up, he walked weakly. He staggered a quarter of a mile, fell 

 into a crab hole, and died the same night. 



And so on with ten more hacks and draughts, every caie of them 

 working horses, fed on similar ensilage. Their water supply had been 

 obtained from various sources — crab holes in the paddocks filled by the 

 recent rains, tanks, and station creek water. Water from the same 

 sources was used for domestic purposes and for cattle, sheep, dogs, and 

 swine. 



This mortality had oiccurred before my arrival. There were several 

 horses still alive, but ill. The svmptoms in all the cases I saw were 

 alike — varving only in degree. These were listlessness, prostration of 

 strength, sore throat (without swelling or pain upon manipulation). Ex- 

 treme irritation was shown by liquids being swallo'wed with great diffi- 

 cultv, although thirst was marked. Food and water were both returned 

 through the nostrils ; this often being accompanied by fits of coughing. 

 This abnormal process is still seen in the convalescents, now feeding well. 

 There was constipation with straining, the dung being dark-coloured 

 and most offensive. The urine was passed freely in large quantities. 

 It was of the usual colour and clear. It presented nothing diagnostic 



