156 Journal of Agricidiiire. [10 jNIarch, 1909. 



rust called Usiilago liypdytcs, a species of PcnciUiiim which attacks grasses 

 or hay and appears to be poisonous. It produces considerable irritation 

 of tissues or surfaces that it comes in contact with. 



General Remarks. — Many cases of inappetence, colic, flatulence and 

 constipation are caused bv the eating of mould, rust, or smut-impregnated 

 food without the true cause being suspected. Hence the necessity in such 

 cases of always carefully examining the food. In acute cases of this 

 kind there is often great depression and stupor. The primary constipation 

 may be followed by a profuse foetid diarrhoea which may be accompanied 

 bv pain and straining. The coat becomes harsh and staring and the 

 animal rapidly falls off in condition. The fact of several animals in the 

 stable becoming ill at the same time should direct attention to the food. 

 Polyurea associated with parenchymatoms nephritis (inflammation of the 

 kidneys) frequently follows on the feeding over a lengthened period of 

 damaged food. Mr. Edward Stanlev, F.R.C.V.S., late Government 

 Veterinarian for New South Wales, had experience of considerable mor- 

 tality in sheep from feeding on rusty wheaten hay. It appeared that 30 

 or 40 tons of wheaten irrigated hay had become rusty, and were cut and 

 put along with seme old havstacks for the time of scarcitv, which came 

 this season during the drought. Seven thousand ewes were fed on hay, 

 and it was noticed that those fed on rust\ hav became ill, and many died 

 within a week with symptoms described as a sort of blindness, fits, stag- 

 gering gait, prostration and death ; the lungs w-ere of a blackish colour and 

 the liver peculiarly light in colour. The last two loads of the rusty hay 

 killed aliout 100 sheep ; between 400 and 500 were lost, and a good many 

 more affected before the cause of the maladv was suspected. The sickly 

 ewes were moved and fed on boree, and many recovered. Four thousand 

 weaners fed on good hay in the same paddocks, and using' the same water- 

 ing places, were not affected in the least. 



Treatment. — A change of food must be at once p.dopted. The fer- 

 menting food in the intestines should be got rid of by purgatives and enemas 

 and the fermentation mav be arrested bv giving 15 to 20 gramme doses 

 of naptho. Intestinal aciditv should be counteracted with bicarbonate of 

 soda and some stomach cordial such as ginger, mustard or pimento given. 



Mr. Stanley has also furnished me with the following notes of this 

 class of poisoning. He says: — " Fungi, moulds, ergot, rusts, &c., these 

 I am satisfied cause a great amount of obscure illness, which is only recog- 

 nised by scientific veterinarians, and many outbreaks of mysterious diseases, 

 and large fatalities to .stock are due to these insignificant parasitic plants. 



Mouldy lucerne, not necessarily rotten, but merely dusty, is highly 

 •dangerous for horses. Being a slow poison it is unsuspected. Meanwhile 

 the horse suffers irritation in nasal membranes, bronchial tubes and lungs, 

 then the circulation is invaded, and finally the kidneys and bowels show 

 effects. The pulse is depressed and indistinct, breath foetid, respiration 

 short, bowels constipated, urine scantv, skin hide-bound. There is gradual 

 wasting of flesh, although the appetite is not impaired until the illness is 

 established. Then the throat muscles, neck, back and limbs become hard 

 and inelastic. The animal walks in a cramped position as if sore all 

 Ov-er, plaits his legs, cannot eat from- the ground, drinks slowly and with 

 difficulty from a bucket in the manger, rarely lies down voluntarily. If 

 he falls he lies with limbs extended and has very great difficulty in getting 

 up again. The limbs and joints all swell, in as.sociation with the dullness 

 and w^ant of exercise. The cough is low and often remains chronic from 

 -Structural changes in the lungs, and the resoiration resembles that of 



