DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 15 



of cholera in the human system. In another, severe constipation ; and in yet another, 

 the symptoms of quinsy, without the swelling uader the throat. And yet we call it 

 all cholera f 



It would be hard to enumerate half the medicines that have been tried aTid found 

 wanting as remedies for this disease. But after all wo know absolutely nothing of 

 the seat of the disease or its causes. Those who have not " doctored" at all have fared 

 as well as those who have. 



Till' same remarks are applicable as to fowls ; we have suffered much and learned 

 nothing. I have talked with a number of our best informed stock-men, and oven with 

 lihysiciaus, and find their theories differ so widely that I hardly think it worth while 

 to give them. 



Mr. W. B. Flippen, Yellville, Ark., says: 



Our horses are afflicted with no other diseases than distemper and blind-staggers. 

 Farmers attribute the latter to feeding new ground corn or late corn, which is gen- 

 erally worm-eaten. Others attribute it to the horses eating unsound corn and worm- 

 dust. I know of no certain remedy. 



Cattle are occasionally affected with murrain, and what is here called black tongue. 

 The tongue becomes red and raw on the upjMir side, and if not attended to promptly, 

 turns blown or black on top, cracks open, and becomes so sore that the animal cannot 

 feed, and in a short time will die. This disease i)revails only at intervals. It is easily 

 cured by washing the tongue two or three times with a solution of salt and copperas. 

 I suppose the copperas aloue would etlect a cure, as those herds are never aU'ected 

 with it where co^jperas is mixed with their salt in the summer aud fall mouths. 



Cattle are also occasionally affected with what is here called Texas fever, but it is 

 not incident to this locality, aud prevails only along the line or route where droves of 

 cattle from Texas have passed. The disease is very fatal, and I know of no remedy. 



I have observed in this locality, twice within a period of forty years, a disease called 

 " mad itch." I have never known a case cured. At first the animal appears feverish 

 and not inclined to feed. In a day or two the eyes assume a reddish color, and the 

 jaws, or skin on the sides of the jaws, become much swollen. When opened with a 

 knife yellow water drops out freely. The animal commences rubbing the sides of 

 its jaws against a tree, or anything it can get access to, and will continue to rub 

 until both sides of the head are raw. In two or three days death ensues. Before it 

 dies it becomes to all appearances perfectly mad and furious, but continues to rub its 

 jaws until death relieves it of its sufferings. 



Mr. H. CoNLY, Cheyenne, Wyo., says : 



We have some losses of horses, caused by their eating " poison- weed," properly 

 known as " larkspear," which makes its appearance about the middle of April, and on 

 or immediately after the 1st of May, in advauce of the grasses. A hungry or jaded 

 animal will eat a quantity of it, and within a few hours will begin to bloat, and if ex- 

 ercised or excited will tremble violently and fall down. If immediate relief is not 

 oV)tained the attack will prove fatal. The remedies commonly used are lard aud bleed- 

 ing by slitting the animal's ears. Many of them will have all these symptoms and 

 recover without any assistance. I am not prepared to give you the approximate losses 

 caused by this weed. It is not so great as formerly, owing to the fact that stock-men 

 guard against grazing upon lands where it abounds. I have taken some pains to test 

 its properties, bat owing to limited means have only found it to be acid, increasing in 

 acidity as it grows older. I shall be pleased to send some of this weed at the proper 

 time, should you desire it. If you could obtain an analysis of it, a simple autidote 

 would follow, thereby saving us great losses. 



Poultry seems to suffer about the same as in the States with diseases such as cholera 

 and roup. All of the minor complaints come under the head of roup. We lose about 

 50 per cent, from the former. I believe there has been no sure remedy discovered. I 

 have found that coal-oil will check the spread of the disease as speedily as anything, 

 but that will not cure a fowl when attacked. I give it to them twice a week by satu- 

 rating their corn aud feeding them abundantly. 



Messrs. Crawford, Thompson & Co., cattle-dealers, Eranstou, Wyo., 

 say: 



We have no general sickness of any kind among cattle, sheep, horses, or hogs. This 

 is strictly a healthy country. The only disease among any of the above-named animals 

 which has come under our observation is scab on sheep, which we very easilj' manage 

 by washing with sulphur and tobacco. 



