302 DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



\YV have been confronted with similar trouble in Texas, conn lie.- 

 of Burnet, Lampasas, Tom Green, etc., where the disease seems 

 to be (|iiih' common, and appears to be due to a lack of phos- 

 phates, and ainonia in the soil. 



^Uni/ilum*. The animal has a depraved appetite, the milk de- 

 creases and becomes thin, watery, and of a bluish color, yielding 

 but little cream. The animal soon gets poor, becomes stiff and 

 weak, rises with difficulty, drags the hind limbs in walking, and 

 usually lies down a great deal; the joints swell, the animal evi- 

 dently suffering much pain; fracture of the bones are common; 

 paralysis of the limbs may take place. The disease may continue 

 for months, or even as long as a year, but may be arrested in the 

 early stages. 



Treatment. Remove the affected animals from the soil on 

 which they contracted the disease to a pasture where the char- 

 acter of the land is entirely different, and make a change in the 

 water supply also. Nutritious food, those rich in phosphates, are 

 most important, for the assimilation of which common salt 

 should be given. If the drinking water is soft (rain water), give 

 water that contains carbonate, sulphate, or phosphate of lime, 

 and chlorate of magnesia, etc. Not much can be done for ad- 

 vanced cases, and treatment is almost useless. We believe it is 

 generally due to the influence of the drinking water, and con- 

 sider that the relation between lime-salts in the water and soft- 

 ness of bone deserve far more consideration on the part of stock 

 owners than is generally done. 



