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_ CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS (‘‘ FORAGE POISONING ”’). 9 
to the disease by coming in contact with diseased horses. For 
instance, Dr. Herman Busman, who was in charge of the Kansas field 
force of veterinarians of the Bureau of Animal Industry, reports a 
case where horses were kept in adjoining corrals separated only by a 
wire fence. Those on one side were fed on green forage and recently 
cut cane, and died from the disease, while those on the other side 
were fed dry feed and not one became sick. He also reports a similar 
occurrence in a livery barn where the horses had been fed on clean, 
dry feed without sickness, but when fresh cut bottom-land hay was 
substituted for the former feed the horses became sick within a few 
days. Another similar instance was reported by Dr. E. T. Davison, 
in charge of the bureau’s field force in Nebraska, in the case of a 
farmer who owned:a work team that was strictly barn fed. While 
attending the State Fair at Lincoln these horses were turned out on 
pasture for two days and both horses came down with the disease 
on the fourth and fifth days, respectively, after being taken off the 
pasture. 
It is such cases as these that have incriminated the forage and 
caused the disease to be known as ‘‘pasture disease”’ in some localities. 
Indeed some veterinarians report that all the animals affected had 
been on pasture, or, having been removed from pasture, had been fed 
on recent cuttings of alfalfa, prairie hay, cane, or kafir corn, while no 
cases came under observation where the animals had been on dry feed 
all summer. : | 
A long period of dry weather followed by rainfall with considerable 
humidity and heat seems to favor the development and dissemination 
of the disease. The period from August 1 to October 1, 1912, pre- 
sented exceptional climatic conditions in western Kansas and south- 
ern Nebraska, and it was observed that crops cut and cured before 
this date could be fed with impunity. Durimg the first week in 
August a heavy rainfall started in Kansas and nearly twice the usual 
amount was recorded, falling mostly during the night and soaking in. 
This was followed by very high temperatures, the 17 days from 
August 23 to September 9 being the hottest series of days on record 
in, Dodge City. There were also more than the usual number of 
cloudy or partly cloudy days with high relative humidities. The 
dew point was reached early at night and the deposit of dew was 
abundant, which is uncommon in that section. High humidities 
certainly continued throughout the day among the grasses near the 
soil. These grasses, which usually cure into hay on the root, became 
dotted with both parasitic and saprophytic fungi. Water holes, 
draws, and buffalo wallows remained filled with water throughout 
most of the period. During the latter part of September frosts 
occurred, accompanied not only by cooler weather but with lower 
