■154 Jonnial of Agriculture. [lo March, 1909. 



on examination. The pulse was small, hard, feeble and indistinct. The 

 heart was irritable and laboured, ranging from 40 to 60 beats per minute. 

 Respiration was slightly accelerated ; but with feeble chest and abdominal 

 movements. Visible mucous membranes were of a dirty brownish- 

 yellowish colour. The tongue was pastv and dry, emitting a horrid 

 nauseating odour, almost unbearable. The temperature ranged from 95 

 degrees to 100 degrees. The extremities were cold. There was no 

 indication of suffering from pain, of inclinatiqn to lie down, or of cerebral 

 or spinal disturbance. The animals were conscious up to the last and 

 attempted to eat and drink, even when lying prostrate and unable to rise. 

 Mastication was very slow, as if from muscular weakness, and quids were 

 often retained in the mouth. The horses could scarcely swallow fluids, 

 but could eat dry oaten hay. Drenching always caused coughing so that 

 medicine had to be given in other wavs. 



I made two post-mortem examinations. One was Oif a horse that died 

 on the night preceding our arrival ; the ofther animal died on the night 

 after our arrival. (None of the animals under treatment died during 

 our stay.) 



The fost-tnorteni appearances, as briefly as possible, and avoiding 

 technicalities, were as follow : — Congestion of the nasal passages, larynx, 

 and tracheae. This was moire marked in the first case. The tongues 

 were dry and thicklv furred. The pharynx was inflamed, but free from 

 ulceration or diphtheritic deposit. The stomachs and large intestines 

 were of a brownish-black colour, the mucous membrane being deeply 

 stained. The stain would not wash off. The contents were soft. The 

 bowels were lesis affected. The contents of the rectum were drv and 

 hard. The peritoneum was stained in large patches of a ruddy colour, 

 and the mesenteric veins were filled with black coagulated blood. The 

 bladders were ecchymosed' in a most remarkable manner. The heart was 

 flabby, dark in colour. Extravasations of bload occurred along the course 

 of the blood vessels, and also on the fleshv pillars inside the ventricles. 

 Both right and left cavities contained firm clots of blood, formed partly 

 of yellow lymph and almost black blood, separated bv gravitation. The 

 liver was dark, and slightly ecchvmosed. The spleen was healthy in 

 appearance. The lungs, in one case, were full of congested blood, and 

 the tracheae and' bronchial tubes were greenish-black in colour. In the 

 other case, the lungs were nearlv normal. I noticed the entire absence 

 of fat, which circumstance is verv unusual in the horse. I also noticed 

 the presence of manv intestinal worms, four \'arieties being recognised. 

 No bacilli were in the blood. 



Treatment consisted in evacuating the poison, and restoring the blood 

 to its normal condition bv the judicious administration of salines and 

 antiseptics, with easilv-digested and nutritious food. The sufferers were 

 sheltered at night from the cutting winds. General attention was given 

 to cleanliness and comfort. 



As a means of preivention, I suggest the institution of change of feed 

 for ensilage, such as chaff, with bran, oats, oaten hay, and grass — and a 

 constant supply of salt within their reach. 



It is to be noted that these horses have been living on ensilage from 

 the first pit for the last six months, getting a fresh supply daily, and that 

 they did satisfactorilv on it. 



Cattle and sheep do well on this artificially-preserved food ; but it is 

 never advisable to limit animals to one article of diet. Change of food 

 is as necessary for them as it is for human beings. No doubt, ruminating 



