10 BULLETIN 65, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
humidity, which are the significant factors in the subsidence of the 
disease, and after the first week in October the disease practically 
disappeared. Since then many owners have placed their horses back 
on the same pastures used during the serious stages of the disease and 
there has been no ill effect noted. This would indicate that there 
are good reasons to believe the forage is no longer in condition to 
produce the disease and hence its use is safe, as in the case of the 
Pennsylvania baled hay previously mentioned. 
Somewhat similar conditions of climate obtained in Nebraska dur- 
ing the prevalence of the disease, but on September 25 a killing frost 
was recorded, followed by several light frosts and a reduction in the 
relative humidity. After this time the disease rapidly subsided and 
finally disappeared. There is not much question that some of this 
infected forage has been baled and shipped to various points, and it is 
therefore not unlikely that sporadic cases of the disease will appear 
in these sections under favorable climatic conditions. 
In this connection, attention should be called to the marked preva- 
lence last summer and fall of the disease of cattle known as mycotic 
stomatitis, which simulates the foot-and-mouth disease of Europe 
and is caused also by contaminated forage. This disease first 
appeared in Florida and spread over Georgia, North and South Caro- 
lina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, and into Pennsyl- 
vania. The climatic conditions were evidently appropriate for the 
development of the causative agent on forage, and as soon as the 
animals were brought out of the pastures and stall fed, the disease 
immediately subsided. 
SYMPTOMS AND LESIONS. 
In most of the cases disturbance of the appetite, depression, and 
weakness are the first manifestations observed, although all the 
symptoms vary within wide limits. 
Very soon the characteristic symptoms of the disease appear. 
There is trouble in swallowing, drooping of the head and sleepiness, 
which may give way to excitement and attacks of vertigo. An 
impairment of vision is noted, with loss of coordination, resulting in a 
staggering gait or reeling while standing. There is muscular twitch- 
ing, cramp of certain muscles, chiefly of the neck and flanks, and 
erinding of the teeth. Sometimes colicky pains are noted. If in an 
open space, the animal will walk in a circle, sometimes to the right, 
at other times to the left, and will try to push through any obstacle 
with which he comes in contact. In the stable he will press his head 
against the stall or rest it on the manger. Sometimes he will crowd 
backward or sidewise until he gets in a corner and remains there. 
If the temperature is taken at the beginning of the disease it will be 
ebstioa i debi thie S 
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