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1 Maz., 1902. QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 173 
CURE FOR RICKETS IN CATTLE. 
By W. H, HITCHCOCK. 
Mr. W. H. Hitchcock, of Tungamull, in the Central district, sends us the 
following interesting account of cures effected by him of the disease known as 
“rickets.” The cure is so simple that anyone can try it, and even should it fail 
there is not much trouble and no expense in applying it. 
There are cattle, as Mr. Hitchcock says, which are known to eat the Zamia 
plant without any ill effects. Such cattle, it would appear, have easy access to 
water, and this may be, as the writer suggests, the cause of their immunity. 
Next to tick fever, the disease known as “rickets” in cattle has been the 
worst scourge of the cattle farmer in this district, but up to the present no cure 
has been found for the disease. 
Dr, Hunt, Government Pathologist, investigated the disease a few years 
ago, and the conclusions he came to were that rickets was caused by cattle 
eating the macrozamia plant, that the disease could not be produced by 
inoculation, and that there was no cure for it, the only remedy being to rid the 
country of zamia. 
As I have cured two animals of rickets, I think the best way to reach and 
benefit those who are interested is to publish the facts in the Agricultural 
Journal. 
Just twelve months ago, after the bush fires had been through the country, 
the cattle would get among the ridges and feed upon the Zamia as it began to 
ow after haying been burnt. This is the surest and quickest way for cattle 
to get the rickets. When driving the cattle home one evening I noticed that 
a yearling heifer had suddenly taken the disease. I thought I could do nothing, 
but would drive her gently to the well and give her a drink, hoping it might 
counteract the poison to some extent. In going to the well, a distance of about 
300 yards, she fell on her haunches three times. She had a good drink, and I 
left her. In the morning I was considerably surprised to find that the heifer 
was only a little bit shaky in the hind legs, and in a few days there was no sign 
of rickets on her, and since then she has been quite sound. 
The second instance occurred just two weeks ago, and it was the marked 
success in this case that confirmed me in the opinion that a drink of water 
given in the nick of time will expel Zamia poison from the system «f cattle, and 
induced me to lay the matter before the readers of the Journal. 
The animal in this case was a three-year old Ayrshire bull. He had been 
biting at Zamia for some weeks past whenever he got the chance, but on the 
day that he took the rickets he had got further away, and had had a larger 
feed. When I went to drive the cattle home 1 found the buil on his feet, but 
almost helpless. His legs were all together, and his head erected high in the air, 
while he had a frightened look in his eyes. He could not make out what in the 
world had come over him. He was in a far worse condition than the heifer had 
been. I drove him home gently as he had great difficulty in walking; his hind 
legs gave outwards and inwards; he could not control them, and in going down 
slight inclines he fell on hix haunches several times. Having got him inside 
the paddock I carried him three gullons of water, which he drank eagerly. In 
the morning he wax greatly improved, could walk quite steadily. 1 saw that he 
had as much water as he required for a few days, and he is now as sound as 
ever. 
Ido not claim that a drink of water will cure rickets in every case It. is 
only when the disease comes on the beast like a shock that a drink of water 
iven at once will counteract the effect of the Zamia poison. This will explain 
ow it is that some cattle can feed on Zamia with impunity. It is because 
they are able to reach water before the poison takes effect | Others become 
helpless before they reach the water, and the disease stays on them. Although 
