A STUDY OF SALT SICK CATTLE. 
985 
A STUDY OF SALT SICK CATTLE. 
By W. E. French, D. V. S., Daytona, Florida. 
“Careful observation makes a skillful practitioner, but his skill dies with him. By 
recording his observations, he adds to the knowledge of his profession, and assists by his 
facts in building up the solid edifice of pathologal science.” 
During the past year I have given the greater part of my 
time to the investigation and study of the condition known as 
“ salt sickness in cattle,” its cause, symptoms, treatment and 
prevention. 
The investigation of this condition was taken up by the 
State Experiment Station, under the direction of Prof. Stock- 
bridge. And it was thought best to establish a temporary sta¬ 
tion in Osceola county, as the stockmen were willing to co¬ 
operate with us, in that locality. This was done, and at one 
time we had fifteen animals under treatment, representing dif¬ 
ferent stages of the trouble. 
This work was done on the premises of J. E. Ennis, M. D., 
who co-operated in the work. Quite a number of cases were 
examined and post-mortems were held in different parts of the 
State, by Prof. Stockbridge and myself. 
While in conversation with the president of the Stockmen’s 
Association of Osceola County, I was impressed with the fact 
that great numbers of young cattle died with the trouble every 
year. And he made the statement that he thought that 90 per 
cent, of the deaths were from this disease. I might give the 
statements of stockmen and farmers from different sections of 
the State, but will not take the time, only wishing to give facts. 
I believe it to be a condition rather than a specific disease, and 
is most prevalent in the early months of the year, when obliged 
to eat inferior vegetation, such as wire-grass, black-jack oak and 
palmetto leaves, and such like, resulting in improper and insuf¬ 
ficient nutrition. As to special location of this trouble, it is con¬ 
fined chiefly upon the higher sand hills or ridges, constituting 
the backbone of the Florida peninsula, and extending from the 
Georgia line to the Everglades. 
