126 
ACORN-POISONING. 
from some local cause. It was also evident that the malady 
was not infectious. Indeed, it appeared highly probable that 
the attack had depended on the animals having partaken very 
•freely of acorns, which day by day were falling in large quan- 
tities from the oak trees that abounded in the enclosure. 
The herbage in this part of the park was uniformly short in 
quantity.' It did not appear to he objectionable in quality, 
and no deleterious plants were detected among it. It was 
stated that for ten years at least the crop of acorns had not 
been equal in amount to the present crop. Very large crops 
of chestnuts had been produced, and during the whole of the 
time the cattle which had been grazed in the Lower Park 
had done well. 
The custom had been to purchase cattle in the autumnal 
period of the year, particularly Welsh cattle, at Barnet Fair, 
in September, and turn them into the park. This year, 
however, the practice had necessarily been altered by a 
change of occupancy, and hence the reason of the park being 
grazed by young cattle. Had the ill effects depended on the 
quality of the herbage alone, it would be difficult to account 
for the fact that fresh cattle coming on the place in the 
autumn invariably had done well. The opinion that the 
eating of large quantities of acorns had caused the fatality was 
strengthened by the circumstance that some animals belong- 
ing to Col. Lennard, of West Wickham, had also been 
attacked while in the same pasture, but that twenty calves, 
which occupied a contiguous part of the park, where 
they could obtain very few acorns, had continued in perfect 
health. The non-infectious nature of the disease was also 
shown by the fact that one of the first animals attacked had 
been put with these calves, and had continued with them 
down to the time of the inquiry being commenced, and that 
cattle belonging to other persons which had been located 
near to the diseased beasts from the commencement were 
unaffected. 
The symptoms presented by the sick cattle were very 
characteristic. In all cases at the outset the animals were 
observed to be remarkably dull and dispirited and inclined to 
separate themselves from each other, and to stand in a 
crouched attitude, with the head hanging down. The eyes 
were sunken. In many of the animals there was discharge 
of mucus, sometimes mingled with blood, from the nostrils, 
and frequently mucous discharge from the eyes was also 
noticed. The internal temperature was natural, ranging 
between 100° and 102°. The surface of the body was cold 
and the coat staring. 
