Studies in Forage Poisoning V. 55 



their experiments in 1916 with a strain of B. botulinus which ap- 

 parently had superinduced an intoxication in several persons, fol- 

 lowing ingestion. 



Van Ermengem describes the symptomatology of botulism 

 in man as a neuroparalytic symptom-complex, with disturb- 

 ances of secretion, motor paralysis, general muscular weakness, 

 dysphagia, aphonia, and a disturbance of the internal and ex- 

 ternal muscles of the eye. Hiss and Zinsser 16 briefly summarize 

 the symptoms of botulism in man as follows: 



"Loss of accommodation, dilated pupils, ptosis, aphonia and dys- 

 phagia may occur. Fever is usually absent. Consciousness is rarely 

 lost." 



Kolmer 17 states : 



"Symptoms of botulism appear only after a definite period of incu- 

 bation, which varies from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. In contra- 

 distinction to the meat poisonings produced by other organisms, those 

 due to Bacillus botulinus may show few or no symptoms directly refer- 

 able to the intestinal tract, the chief symptoms being due to toxic 

 interference with the cranfal nerves; loss of accommodation, ptosis, 

 dilated pupils, aphonia, dysphagia, and hypersecretion of mucus from 

 the mouth and nose." 



It is evident that the clinical symptoms attributed to 

 botulism in man bear some resemblance to the symptoms ob- 

 served in animals suffering from forage poisoning. Animals 

 naturally affected with forage poisoning are suddenly and often 

 fatally afflicted. The incubation period in forage poisoning is 

 undoubtedly variable, but probably involves a few hours to a 

 few days. The noticeable manifestations may be followed by 

 the rapid development of muscular weakness, decumbency and 

 a moribund condition, accompanied by nervous symptoms. The 

 suddenness of the symptoms and their rapid development is 

 somewhat characteristic. Recovery in horses and mules is 

 comparatively rare in our observations, and when it does occur 

 it is several weeks before complete convalescence. The symp- 

 toms characteristic of the disease may involve neuropathic dis- 

 turbances, accompanied by local paralysis, disturbed vision, 

 paresis of the phartnx, depression, weakness, salivation, olo- 



16 Text-Book of Bact., 1912, p. 475. 



17 Infection, Immunity and Specific Therapy, 1915, p. 116. 



