218 



NEW ENGLAND FAKIMEIl, 



Jan. 25, 1S33. 



somewhat out of stason, but for too limited in 

 extent to bo attributed to this cause. 



If malaria (miasma) be an adequate cause, and 

 if moreover, the symptoms and nature of the dis- 

 ease bear a close analogy to the known effects of 

 malaria upon the animal system, then certainly it 

 would be very unphilosophic to adduce others, ex- 

 cept as mere auxiliaries. I need not attempt to 

 >Iiow that this is an adequate cause, or that such 

 analogy exists. In looking at the history of the 

 case ytfu will at once recogmsc the most promi- 

 Hcnt effeets of this agent exejting its deadly pow- 

 ers in a manner too obvioii to require further 

 proof. Indeed it would seei* that this disease of 

 the horse, closely simulated some of those violent 

 forms of fever, which in different parts of the world 

 has destroyed great numbers of the human race. — 



own is so limited, that I shall confine my remarks 

 principally to the management of blood-letting, the 

 most efficient, if not the only remedy worth con- 

 sideration. But before coming to particulars it is 

 proper to state that the objects to be regarded in 

 the treatment, are, the prevention of inflammation 

 when the earlier symptoms are noticed, and the 

 cure of it where it already exists. 



When the fir^t symptoms, such as loss of appe- 

 tite, languor, and iudisi)Ositiou to motion, arc timely 

 observed, a warm bm well ventilated stable, a light 

 diet, and some mild cathartic, as neutral salts, may 

 perhaps prevent the further development of the 

 disease. My mare was in a pasture near the 

 house, and several of my family have expressed 

 their belief, that she was imwell two or three dal's 

 before I knew it. They drew this conclusion frojn 



has destroyea great numoers oi xne nuniau laoc. — uckjic » nut., n. ^..^-j >"^ p- 



You will recollect that history furnishes us with her standing about in a listless and unusual maji- 



the account of several epidemics in which domes- 

 tic animals were simultaneously affected with man, 

 and that too with very similar diseases. From 

 these, we learn the suscejitibility of their systems 

 to malaria and its analogous effects in different 

 races of animals. But it is said the horse is not 

 .subject to idiopathic fever. Whether this propo- 

 sition be true or false, depends on the definition 

 given to the term fever. While some make fever 

 JO consist of inflammation, others say it consists of 

 a peculiar affection of the nervous system, asso- 

 ciated or not, with uiflammation. It is therefore 

 idle to contend upon this point, and all I wish to 

 say, is, that whatever we call it, its pat lology more 

 closely resembles the violent form of fevers tlian 

 any other disease with which I am acquainted. — 

 Adopting the older hypothesis of the tT\o, I regard 

 indisposition to motion, lassitude, and prostration 

 of strength, as resulting from the primary effects 

 of the deleterious influence of jiialaria upon the 

 nervous system, and inflanunation, when it occurs. 



ner. Cold rigors with more or less delirium \vill 

 generally announce the formative stage of infl 

 mation. This will conunonly be followed by a 

 action more or less perfect, attended with coitus- 

 ponding heat and high vascular excitcmentj 

 When the heat of surface is nearly uniform, a li 

 opening should be made in one of the jugular ve! 

 and the blood allowed to flow, regardless of 

 quantity taken, till faintness is induced. Shotijd 

 the same symptoms continue, the hlood-lettwg 

 may be repeated in the same way, in 4, C, or eigjt 

 hours, according to the violence of the case, a4d 

 even a third or fourtli time, should it be necessary 

 to control the disease. An active cathartic aid 

 cold applications to the head and neck, a dafk 

 stable and the most perfect stillness may be re- 

 garded as valuable assistants. 



These cases, in whieli the reaction is imperfect 

 and the extremities continue cool and the heat of 

 surface inconstant, will be found, by (ar, the most 

 unmanageable. When the cold stage is protracted 



as it o-enerallv does in all severe cases, as the se- : friction, warm blankets, and warm aromatic drinks 

 quence of such influence. will be useful, and should these not succeed in a 



According to this theory, the disease does not reasonable time, a small quantity of blood may be 

 consist in a simple acute inflammation of the brain taken to unload the congested organs, and spirit 

 as might be inferred from the autopsio appearances, ' diluted with warm water, may be frequently 

 but in an inflammation superinduced in a system ' administered till the object is gained, and stop as 

 greatly prostrated by previous affection. luflam- soon as the circulation is developed. As soon as the 

 mation may succeed so immediatelj as to afford circulation is restored, tlie treatment must bo the 

 no opportunity to mark that other aid primary af- same as above mentioned. The bleedings should 

 fection which laid the found.ition, or if I may so ever be small when there are frequent alternations 

 say, created the necessity of its occu -rcncc. Yet, of heat and cold, and proportioned to the degree 

 notwithstanding this rapid successioi, the fact of and permanency of heat. When no reaction takes 

 its existence, I regard as beyond rca onable doidit, place, or where it is long protracted every variety 

 and its admission made necessary in -xplaining the ' of treatment will fail. 



phenomena of tlie disease. It is also of further Should the violence of the disease be subdued 

 importance in reference to the us; of curative | and the horse does not convalesce, blisters applied 

 means. Shoidd the physician, on dscovering in- I on each side of the ceroical spine, with laxatives. 



flummatiou of the brain, stomach oi intestines in 

 typhus fever, adopt the same course as in ordina- 

 ry attacks of acute phrenitis, gastrit s or enteritis, 

 without regard to the complicated lature of the 

 disease, he would deserve very littla credit for hi; 

 skill. True, the same means might be necessary, 

 hut the measure and adaptation of tliem must be 

 widely different to insure success. 



Having in a very hurried and imperfect manner, 

 given, thus far my pathological views, I shall now 

 proceed to state, in a general way, what I suppose 

 to be the most rational plan of treatment. The 

 constitution of tlie horse is kno^^•n to differ materi- 

 ally from man in respect to the inliuence of some 

 of the most energetic medicines we possess. — 

 Whatever may be the kuo\^ ledge of others in the j species to another, 

 use of medicines in the complaints of horses my ' Respectfully, 



DocT. KOLAND GREEN. 



rest, and light diet will be the ])robable means to 

 remove the remainder of the disease. Dm-ing 

 convalescence it will be necessary to avoid over 

 exertion, feeding, and exposure to cold. 



If the vievTs taken in this paper be correct, it 

 will not be singular if other organs than the brain 

 were sometimes found inflamed. 



Already hanng extended this paper to a great 

 length, I am compelled to omit many things worthy 

 of notice ; but I shall need to make an apology, 

 rather for what I have, than for what I have not 

 not written ; for I am free to confess, that however 

 satisfactory it may be, to reason from analogy on the 

 same species of animals, it is very liable to lead us 

 into error when this method is extended from one 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



WILD CHERRY TREE LEAVES. 



T. G. Fessekden, Esq. 



Sir — As there lias been much written on wild 

 cherry tree leaves, and your correspondents 

 appear to be in as much need of information on 

 the subject as myself after having lived almost half 

 a centuiy, I was in hopes that some one would 

 have come to the point, and saved me the trouble 

 of writing ; and nothing but the duty I owe to 

 the public induces me to undertake. As I am in 

 the habit of buying hides at all seasons, I bought 

 one which was taken from a beast that died by 

 eating wild clicn-y tree leaves. I observed to the 

 owner that if wild cherry tree leaves would kill 

 cattle, it was a wonder that there were any in 

 the country, as these leaves could be found on 

 almost every farm. I will give you his own 

 words ; ' they must be wilted to just such a pitch.' 

 He opened the creature, and found that all the 

 leaves stuck fast on the belly; and that a mortifi- 

 catiou had taken place under the leaves. 



I asked a gentleman, a few days past, if he ever 

 knew wild cherry leaves to hurt cattle? He 

 observed that he knew a heifer of one of his 

 neighbors that died by eating them after they were 

 wilted. I asked him what efi'ect it had on her ? 

 lie said it disordered her stomach so that she could 

 not raise her cud ; but she was not opened. 

 A lother case was that of an ox that was turned 

 in:o a lot the next day after the cherry tree was 

 cut, and he came near dying, but recovered after 

 ten days. There is nothing that a cow can eat that 

 gives the milk such a disagreeable taste as these 

 leaves, and it will sour in half the time that it will 

 « hen the cows are fed on grass, which must of 

 coiM-se affect the taste of the butter or cheese ;. 

 and might be the cause of much scolding and 

 scalding about sotir milk, when the cause of its 

 sourness was not known. 



If you do not receive any better communica- 

 tion on this subject, you may publish as much of 

 this as you may think will be of service to the 

 public. 



Providence, Jan. 20, 1833. Calvin Dean. 



P. S. I do not suppose that there is any poison 

 in wild cherry tree leaves made into tea, green or 

 dry. But it is the gluey substance in the leaf that 

 when eaten makes it adhere to the stomach or 

 intestines, and there is nothing to remove it. My 

 opuiion is that they are more hurtful in .Tunc and 

 July than later in the season. The cow died, I 

 think, in June; and the ox ate the leaves some- 

 time after haying; and when cherries were ripe, 

 I have seen the ground covered with the bushes, 

 in all stages from green to dry, and never knew 

 them to hurt any creature at that sea.son. C. D. 



GARDNER M. PECK. 



To those engaged in the maauractiire of Kiln Dried 

 Corn Meal, the following hints from the Journal of Com- 

 merce may be of use. 



KILN DRIED CORN MEAL. 



Kiln dried meal must be made of the best 

 yellow corn ; white would not sell. Hogsheads 

 should be made of the best seasoned white oab 

 stuff, 4 feet 5i inches long, and be 2 feet 3i inches 

 across the head. Four iron hoops on each hhds. 

 The rest of the hoops strong, smooth hickory. 

 The hhds. must be made tight, as they are sold for 

 rum hhds. in the West Intlies — the only market 

 for them. 



The corn is dried in a large sheet-iron cylinder, 

 or in pans, (put in motion by the mill) in a heated 



