106 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



abundant, cattle and sheep, and even pigs, have suffered from a too free 

 indulgence of a favourite food, and some of the animals have died from 

 the impactment of quantities of the nuts in different parts of the diges- 

 tive system; but this is not what is intended by the term acorn poison- 

 ing. On the contrary, in the true disease the most marked symptoms 

 are not present until a considerable time after the acorns have been 

 digested, and no trace of them is to be found on post-mortem exami- 

 nation. Of course this fact might be interpreted to mean that the 

 animals have not died from the consumption of acorns, but the evidence 

 is too clear to admit of any question. 



In 1868, when the malady was first recognized, a large herd of cattle, 

 which were feeding in a park where acorns were very abundant and pasture 

 very scanty, became affected, while other cattle on the same estate, sepa- 

 rated from the diseased ones only by an iron fence, which shut them off 

 from the acorns, remained perfectly well. The symptoms were not at 

 all violent in their character. In the first instance, after a week or ten 

 days' feeding on the acorns, instead of improving in condition, the 

 animals began to waste, and presented a remarkably listless and dull 

 appearance. The appetite in the worst cases was entirely lost, and it 

 was remarked that when the disease got to that stage the animal never 

 recovered, but lingered on for some time, and was ultimately found dead 

 on the pasture. 



Careful analyses were made, but no special organic poison was dis- 

 covered — nothing, in short, which could be suggested as a possible cause 

 of injury except tannic and gallic acids. It may be observed in this 

 connection that the detection of an organic poison is extremely difficult ; in 

 fact, the failure of discovery is by no means evidence that it does not exist. 

 Since 1868 several similar outbreaks have occurred, usually under the same 

 conditions, i.e. a hot, dry summer, deficiency of grass, and the prevalence 

 of high winds in the autumn, causing the fall of a quantity of acorns before 

 they are perfectly ripe. On the other hand, these climatic influences have 

 prevailed in many years when no outbreak of acorn-poisoning has occurred. 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF FOOD 



Generally the horse-owner is content to leave the selection and prepara- 

 tion of the horses' food to his coachman or groom, leaving them to arrange 

 with the dealers as to the quality of the oats, hay, and other articles of 

 fodder which will be supplied. 



This system has the advantage of saving a good deal of trouble, and in 

 small establishments it would not be possible to appoint a responsible 



