74 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



position of hay, blue grass is the most likely to become affected. Ou the 

 plant the fungus manifests itself on the seeds, where it is easily recog- 

 nized when the hay is examined in the mow. The ergotized seeds are 

 several times larger than the natural ; hard, black, and generally curved 

 in shape. The effect of the protracted use of ergot in the food is pretty 

 well understood to be that of lowering the powers of circulation, which, 

 together with the action of gravitation, is sufficient to completely arrest 

 it in dependent parts of the body, such as are remote from the heart, as 

 the tail and feet, particularly the hind feet. Cattle seem to be more 

 susceptible than other animals to the influence of ergot, possibly on 

 account of the slowness of the heart's action. When the effect of the 

 poison has become sufficient to entirely arrest the circulation in any 

 part the-structures soon die. The disorder manifests itself as lameness 

 in one or more limbs; swelling about the ankle which may result in only 

 a small slough, but it is more likely to circumscribe the limb at any 

 point below the knee or hock by an indented ring, below which the tis- 

 sues become dead. The indentation soon changes to a crack, which, 

 like it, extends completely round the limb, forming the line of separa- 

 tion between the dead and living structures. The crack deepens till the 

 parts below drop off without loss of blood, and frequently with very 

 little pus. This condition is known as dry gangrene, and is the poison- 

 ous effect of ergot. 



Regarding the treatment, change of food and local antiseptics are 

 of course indicated. The former may be useful as a preventive, but 

 when the symptoms have appeared the animal is necessarily so com- 

 pletely saturated that recovery is likely to be tedious. It has been 

 observed by some writers that the feeding of corn with ergotized food 

 neutralizes the poisonous effect. 



LOCAL POISONING. 



Local poison may occur from the bites or stings of insects or from 

 contact with poisonous plants in exposed parts of the body, such as 

 poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron], when brought in contact with the 

 udder or teats, or from the external accidental application of caustic 

 acid or alkaline solutions. In the case of the caustic its effect should 

 be neutralized by the application of the proper antidote and the result- 

 ing wound treated as a burn or frost-bite. The stings of bees or wasps, 

 and the bites of other poisonous insects, should be treated by the 

 application of turpentine gently applied. 



SNAKE BITfcS. 



The poison contained in the fangs of certain venomous" reptiles, 

 particularly some of the snakes, which is injected into or under the 

 skin of an animal bitten by the reptile is a very powerful agent. It 

 is likely to produce a serious local irritation, and in the case of the 

 more poisonous snakes serious constitutional disturbances, even to 



