574 Veterinary Mediciyie. 



Ill one district in Jutland, Stockfleth found an extraordinary 

 number of broken legs as the result of castration of colts, which 

 had not shown the thickening or distortions of rachitis. 



Causes. The disease is particularly common in cows which yield 

 a calf every year, and especially in heavy milkers, in which re- 

 spect it agrees with the osteo-malacia of woman. The heavy de- 

 mands upon the system for the nourishment of the foetus and the 

 supply of milk, undoubtedly lay the system open to attack, if they 

 do not directly cause the disease. An early and usually a persistent 

 feature of the malady is a depraved appetite, the causes of which 

 may be read up in Vol. II. The statements there made, require 

 some qualification, inasmuch as osteo-malacia is at times found on 

 limestone soils with hard, calcareous water, and on rich, alluvial 

 valley soils abounding in both clay and lime (Sargiuson, Le- 

 clainclie), as well as on barren sands and granite soils deficient in 

 both lime and phosphorus. It may even appear on virgin or 

 muck}' soils after liming, wiiich had been free from the trouble 

 up to that time (Thorburn). The decomposition of the abun- 

 dance of organic matter, hastened by the quick-lime, has evident- 

 ly been a contributing cause. 



The excess of organic matter in the soil seems to be a consider- 

 able factor. Both Tliorburn and Sarginson mention the " mossy " 

 soils and waters, and in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and Westmore- 

 land, England, where they practised, black muck and peats 

 abound. This is corroborated by the prevalence of the disorder 

 in the damp lowlands of Belgium and Jutland, in the Swiss val- 

 leys, on tlie damp lands of New Jersey and tlie Carolina seaboard, 

 and generally on damp pastures with rank, watery herbage. 



When land has been better cultivated and enriched b)' ma- 

 nure, the disease has in many cases disappeared. This has been 

 observed in England (Sarginson), Wurtenberg, Switzerland, etc. 

 (Leclainche). 



Succulent, watery food (potatoes, turnips), have been quoted 

 as causes, as also rank, watery grasses, deficient in nutritious 

 solids, but such food has invariably come from hal)itual osteo-ma- 

 lacia soils. On the rich, cultivated soils of the Lothians, Scot- 

 land, cattle are fed in large numbers on turnips alone, and osteo- 

 malacia and pica are alike unknown. It is often noticed that the 

 fodder grown on particular (osteo-malacia) soils will cause the 



