84 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Veterinary Depart mentai Report for 

 February, 1909. 



ABSTRACTS F 

 Minister of Agriculture— 



NOTHINGr of a very noteworthy nature 

 has transpired departmentally during 

 the month. District Veterinary Surgeon 

 Hutchinson's report from Newcastle is 

 again worthy of notice, as instancing the 

 difficulty of suppression of contagious 

 disease under the disturbed conditions 

 now existing in the northern part of the 

 Colony. You will notice that, in addition 

 to the herds now under licence, as many 

 as ten fresh outbreaks have taken place 

 within the month. Mr. Webb's is an 

 interesting and educational report which 

 I should like to see published in extenvo 

 if space permitj!. 



During the month of February an 

 analytical report upon the water supply 

 of Harrismith has been furnished to the 

 military authorities. 



From the Laboratory quarter -evil 

 vaccine, to the number of ()70 doses, has 

 been issued ; locust fungus, 144 tubes (of 

 this preparation the Inspector reports 

 "splendid results are developing from 

 immersing") ; mallein, 1,022 doses ; anti- 

 streptoccic serum, G doses ; snake-bite 

 serum, 2 doses.— I have, etc., 



H. 



Watkins-Pitchford, 



P.V. Surgeon. 



MOOI RIVER— D.V.S. WEBB. 



Biliary i^^ivr.—Three imported Shires 

 developed this disease a fe A' days after 

 their arrival. The extreme change from 

 an English winter to the height of a Natal 

 summer, the heat at the time being par- 

 ticularly excessive, probal>ly acted as a 

 predisposing cause to the disease, and 

 rendered the horses' systems specially 

 susceptible for its development. 



The horse whose tcmi)erature reached 

 107't)'' F. developed ojterie (•omi)lications, 

 to which he succumbed. One of the 

 others developed a cough, together with a 

 purulent mucous, sanguinous, and slightly 

 foetid discharge from the nostrils. The.se 

 symptoms were treated with medicated 

 steam inhalations and pot. iodide in- 

 ternally. This animal, together with the 



ROM REPORTS. 



other, after a protracted illness, eventually 

 recovered, and they are now (juickly re- 

 covering their condition. 



The symptoms were high temp, reach- 

 ing 1()7-C) <U'gs. V. in one, 107 degs. F. in 

 another, and KKrC) degs. F. in the third, 

 quickened respirations, rapid pulse, 

 visible mucous membranes, varying from 

 an orange to a yellowish white colour, 

 and no appetite. 



The treatment I used was to place the 

 horses in as cool a situation as possible, 

 namely, under shady trees, tempting them 

 to eat any suitable food, and giving oat- 

 meal gruel, thinned down with water, to 

 drink in lieu of plain water. Medicinal 

 treatment consisted in administration of 

 febrifuges and stimulants, followed by 

 tonics and potassium iodide. 



A< tinomyco^is in a. Colonial The 

 disease had affected one side of the jaw, 

 on which were three growths, consisting 

 of granulation tissue, the largest being 

 about (he size of one's fist. On excising 

 these growths, I found each connected 

 with a sinus containing pus, and running 

 into the bone, which was implicated to a 

 considerable extent. After excision I 

 freely used the actual cautery and 

 biniodide of mercury ointment, and pot. 

 iodide internally. This course has, I 

 believe, proved successful. 



Lead and Zinc Poisoning.— B\x head 

 of cattle have, to my knowledge, died 

 through eating these metals during the 

 month. A description of symptoms and 

 antidotes I described in the Agricultural 

 Journal. 



Choking in a Heifer.— The cause of the 

 obstruction I was unable to discover, as 

 it was in the thoracic portion of the 

 cjesophagus, and as I could not return it 

 through the mouth I puajied it on into 

 the rumen. '1 he heifer recovered. 



Vegetable poisonin.g in two eight 

 months' old calves. The actual poison I 

 was unable to determine, but from the 

 symptoms shewn, it was evident the 

 animals had ingested some irritant poison, 

 probably obtained from the veldt. They 

 were treated with anotlynes, but whether 

 successfully or not 1 have not heard. 



