CATTLE SICKNESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 23 August 1928, Page 8

CATTLE SICKNESS.

FORM OF SEPSIS. EXTENSIVE NERVOUS DISOEDEB.' (By Telegraph —Own Correspondent) ' HAMILTON, this day. Mr. C. Davus, the G ovcrnmwJ Veterinary Officer at Hamilton, who ha* been carrying out extensive investig»« tions into cattle diseases with a view f ascertaining the cause, prevention and cure, when interviewed to-dav. stated that while the symptoms of nialadv re« ferred to were those of it actually was not eclampsia. It wa* really a form of sepsis, and there no reason whatever to suppose it waa in any way contagions. The majority of cases occurred about a fortnight after calving, and the chief symptoms of the trouble were extensive nervous dig* order, accompanied by convulsion* When the convulsions" became very marked fatal results often followed. H. however, said Mr. Davus, convulsion? could be effectively controlled there wa« a reasonable chance of recovery. Uiu fortunately experience had proved that where the trouble was at all advanced it was somewhat dangerous to approach animals for this purpose. An early sign of portending trouble \ca« & suddetf and unusual alertness in an otherwise quiet animal. In the early stages ife was usually safe to treat a cow, but when nervousness developed to attempt treatment was often to increase agita* tion and throw the animal into violesfi convulsions. Hitherto opinion had supposed the disorder to be due to com* septic infection of the uterus, but, m the trouble occurred in cows both be*' fore and after calving, there seemed tti be nothing to support this view. Further* more ita prevalence appeared to bs con« fined to the months of July, Augtut and September, which would indicate thai the trouble was probably of dietetic origin, caused possibly by some break* down in food assimilation. Mr. Dayus added that extensive itn vest igation was being carried out. A good drench for use where treatment was possible was two ounces of buh danum in water, with the object purely of endeavouring to control although in many cases milk fevei treatment was ineffective. There wa* no harm in continuing its use as therq were probably cases. which would bene* tit somewhat by it.