THE RECENT CATTLE DISEASE IN KANSAS. 
209 
the place, and which took the disease in the latter part of Decem¬ 
ber ; had a relapse later, and at the time of our visit, April 24, 
had the left hind foot sloughing off at the fetlock. One heifer had 
had two relapses. 
The disease in all cases began with violent diarrhea, and in a 
week or two later the legs swelled or stiffened, then cracked 
around as if cut with a blunt instrument, and finally dropped off. 
2. Mr. Mason’s, Island Grove, Wheeler, Jasper County, IS 
miles east of Effingham, had 120 head of cattle, of which 17 head 
suffered, 6 had been killed, 2 of the survivors had each lost a hind 
leg to up near the hock, and several others were still lame. The 
two that had lost limbs were in high fever, with fetid breath, but 
no visible lesions of the mouth. Running with this herd through¬ 
out the period of sickness were 100 hogs and 50 sheep, not one of 
which had been observed to suffer at any time. There were also 
25 horses and mules which were turned out into the yards when 
not at work, but none of them had been observed even to slobber. 
The hay on this farm consisted mainly of red-top run to seed and 
largely affected with ergot. 
3. Mr. Wetherholt, of Wheeler, had a family cow, fed on 
similar hay, and at time of our visit she was down, unable to rise, 
and her hind limbs were sloughing off near the hocks. 
4. A cow kept in barn connected with the boarding-house at 
Wheeler, fed on the same kind of hay with much ergot, was found 
suffering from the preliminary symptoms of diarrhea, slight fever, 
and impaction of the paunch, but lameness had not yet set in. 
The person in charge explained that she had only been a few days 
on this hay. 
5. Mr. Keating, 6 miles northwest of Effingham, out of a herd 
of 45 calves and 6 cows, had 24 of the former attacked, mostly 
in a mild form, the first cases having been in the first week of 
January. Eight were killed and several others lost feet and now 
walk on the stumps. Sixty pregnant ewes ran with the diseased 
calves and escaped, as did also 6 cows and a small herd of pigs. 
In addition to the above cases visited, we had authentic infor¬ 
mation of the existence of the disease at the following points: 
6. At Du Brock’s, 3 miles north and 1 mile west of Faunce’s, 
