DEATH OF CATTLE FROM POISONOUS OILCAKE. 
925 
the young stock are turned out, with a proportion of crushed 
acorns. This has answered well. 
“ The principal harm appears to result from turning the 
young stock out empty and hungry ; they gorge themselves 
with and swallow the acorns whole, and do not appear 
capable of rumination, in consequence of the non-admixture 
of other and longer food. I know of no case of disease occur- 
ring where the animals have been turned out into the fields 
after having well satisfied themselves with food in the sheds.” 
Mr. C. Williamson, of Beaconsfield ; Mr. W. Dale, of Stan- 
more ; Mr. C. S. Hirst, of Barnet; Mr. C. Morgan, of Wing- 
ham ; Mr. F. Earl, of Shifnel ; and Mr. H. W. Caton, of 
Ongar, have also forwarded reports of cases, and given us 
material assistance in our investigations. We trust, neverthe- 
less, by the middle of the present month to have considerable 
additions to the evidence which has been already collected. 
DEATH OF CATTLE FROM POISONOUS OILCAKE. 
Our attention has been called to several cases during the 
past month in which serious losses have arisen from the 
feeding of animals on oilcake. The obtainment of a pure, 
unadulterated linseed cake would appear to be almost un- 
attainable by agriculturists in the present day, notwith- 
standing the pretensions which are put forth, and the prices 
which are charged by manufacturers of these articles of 
cattle diet. The loss of the hay crop, with the limited sup- 
ply of turnips at the command of meat- producers must 
necessitate a far greater demand than usual for cattle-feeding 
compounds ; and it is much to be regretted that the same 
causes will operate as inducements to manufacturers to he 
even less scrupulous than before in the use of all kinds of 
stuffs for making of cakes. Chemical analysis will do 
much, and exposure of cases even more, to check practices 
of the kind ; and we shall be glad to add our feeble efforts 
to those of others to effect so great a good. In one case 
brought under our notice fourteen calves out of twenty- 
one died after partaking of porridge made from “ cotton 
cake,” and in another case three bullocks out of seven were 
killed by eating a compound which contained a quantity 
of curcas bean. In this latter case the analysis was made 
by Dr. Voelcker, and in the former an investigation is being 
made by Professor Tuson. 
