OSSEOUS CACHEXIA. 15 



Brissonet have shown that where the soil contams less than 1,500 kilo- 

 grams to the hectare, osseous cachexia is almost permanently present. 

 As soon, however, as this proportion is raised ahove 2,000 kilograms by 

 suitable culture, the losses diminish, and the cachexia finally disappears. 



This view was greatly strengthened by fodder analyses, which showed 

 that in all cases where the soil is poor in calcium phosphate, the forage 

 is poor in phosphoric acid, and vice versa. The food is too poor in 

 mineral salts, firstly for normal development ; and secondly for the 

 proper nutrition of the skeleton. 



Germain is of a similar opinion with regard to the occurrence of 

 osseous cachexia in horses in Cochin- China, where the soil is very poor 

 in lime. The fodder and cereals are poor in mineral salts, and even 

 when given in large quantities do not furnish proper (chemical) nutri- 

 tion. Clear proof of the correctness of this view is afforded by the fact 

 that feeding with forage and cereals obtained from France or Algeria 

 prevents the disease appearing, or diminishes and finally removes the 

 previously existing symptoms. Furthermore, Germain shows that 

 Europeans, living solely on the products of the country, to some extent 

 suffer like the horses. 



This theory though based on sufficiently solid foundations to carry 

 conviction, has been questioned, and it may be desirable to record briefly 

 the criticisms advanced against it. 



One of the most important is as follows : — 



As osseous cachexia of oxen occurs in certain well-defined districts in 

 France, and seems due to the feeding, why does it not attack horses in 

 the same regions in an enzootic form? The answer appears to be that 

 horses receive a greater amount of rich food, particularly of cereals, 

 which contain much larger amounts of mineral salts, including phos- 

 phates, than does ordinary forage. 



The most serious objection was made by Tapon, who states that in • 

 1893 he saw osseous cachexia in oxen on farms in La Vendee where 

 superphosphate had been used for years, wdiilst the disease did not exist 

 on other farms wdiere such chemical manures were not employed. 

 Before attaching much weight to this objection, however, it would be 

 necessary to know^ the richness in phosphoric acid of the soil on the 

 respective farms, for it is possible that, in consequence of natural condi- 

 tions and in spite of the use of certain mineral manures, the richness of 

 the soil on the first-mentioned farms, though manured with superphos- 

 phates, was still below that of the others which had received no artificial, 

 manure. 



The system of culture is also of importance, for at the present day, 

 even with the use of artificial manures, cropping would rapidly im- 

 poverish soils which w-ere not suitably and snfiiciently enriched. 



