22 
ACORN -POISONING. 
It is, indeed, likely that the cause is not altogether unlike, 
if we take into consideration the fact that during the past 
summer the pastures of the south were so absolutely bare 
that stock had to be fed on hay, cake, and corn. On this 
they did well; but it is worthy of remark, that in all the 
cases of mortality which have come before us the animals had 
been kept up extra well during the drought. 
"When, however, the latter rains brought some speedily 
grown herbage, perhaps the animals were turned into it too 
quickly, and from greedily eating the fresh grass with the 
“ fog,” the symptoms described might have arisen. But from 
whatever cause, there is no doubt that many cows became 
affected with a depraved appetite, as when brought in from 
the field and put into warm sheds they were found to eat 
their straw beds with the utmost avidity. 
Pathological Contributions. 
ACORN-POISONING. 
Since our last report we have not heard of any fresh 
attacks, but further communications have reached us respect- 
ing outbreaks of the disease referred to as acorn-poisoning 
during the autumn. The subject has been much discussed 
by agriculturists, and, as a matter of course, different opinions 
have been expressed. 
At the dinner of the Tenbury Agricultural Society, 
Lord Northwick said he had lost a number of cattle from the 
acorn disease, and at Northwick several of his neighbours also 
lost cattle, as did many persons in Gloucestershire. His vete- 
rinary surgeon wrote a description of the; post-mortem examina- 
tion of the cattle, and he — Lord Northwick — sent it to Professor 
Simonds, veterinary surgeon to the Royal Agricultural Society. 
The Professor replied to the following effect : “ His attention 
had been directed to the subject by numerous cases of the same 
kind during the last few weeks. The whole matter was under 
searching investigation. It was not until the autumn of 1868 
that any suspicions seemed to have been entertained that 
acorns contained any deleterious principle. The consequences 
attending the eating of them by the cattle as they fell from 
the trees proved that in large numbers they were decidedly 
poisonous. The experience of two years had thus shown the 
