1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 31. 37 



factiirer makes essentially the same claims as above, and the 

 material sells at 6 cents a pound in 25-poiind lots. The same 

 experiment stations found it to be composed largely of corn 

 meal, with small quantities of fenugreek, gentian, charcoal and 

 salt. 



Farmers, dairymen and poultrymen: What would be your 

 opinion of any experiment station worker who would make such 

 statements concerning the nutritive, medicinal or commercial 

 value of corn meal, wheat bran, charcoal, gentian and salt ? Do 

 you think there is any humbug iu the claims made by the manu- 

 facturers of such goods ? The question is left for you to decide. 

 You may he the judge. 



Do Healthy Animals need Medicine ? 

 Dr. Paige, the veterinarian at this college, very pointedly 

 expresses the most advanced views of the profession when he 

 says, " Animals in a state of health do not need condition pow- 

 ders or tonic foods. There is in the body of a healthy animal 

 a condition of ecjuilihriuni of all body functions. The processes 

 of digestion and assimilation are at their best. All that is re- 

 quired to maintain this condition of balance is that the animal 

 be kept under sanitary conditions, and receive a sufficient supply 

 of healthful, nutritive food and pure water. While tonics may 

 improve the appetite so that the animal will temporarily con- 

 sume and digest more food, should this increased quantity of 

 nutrients consumed not be appropriated by the tissues of the 

 body, harm may result from thus overloading the lymphatic 

 system, or from an increased action of the excreting organs." 



Treatment of Sick Animals. 

 The writer believes it unwise to give drugs to animals when 

 it can possibly be avoided. Even such simple substances as 

 " salts," ginger, gentian and the like should be used as sparingly 

 as possible. If an animal is out of condition, and it is believed 

 a tonic will be helpful, try the following, suggested by Bartlett 

 of the Maine station : " pulverized gentian, 1 pound ; pulverized 

 ginger, Yi_ pound ; pulverized saltpeter, ^,4 pound ; pulverized 

 iron sulfate, V2 pound. Mix and give one tablespoonful in the 



