STAGGERS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 279, 9 June 1875, Page 2

STAGGERS.

The following letter to the editor of the Australasian appears in that journal of May 22: — Sir, —Our horses, sheep, and cattle in this part of the colony are suffering very much just now from a disease called staggers. The auimals that suffer most are those grazed in English grassed paddocks, very much resembling the land about Bacchus Marsh. Nobody here seems to know or understand anything of the disease, and if you, or any of your numerous readers, could eulighten us as to its cause, and also if there is any known cure for it, you would be doing a kindly action to the West Clive and Keremu settlers. I shall look forward to your answer in the next issue of the Australasian, apologising for thus troubling you, West Clivite [The fact of the horses, cattle, and sheep being indiscriminately affected points to the feed as the cause. In horses the term “ staggers ” is given to a species of apoplexy. The causes are various, but when horses at grass are attacked by this disease, they are poor-conditioned animals which have been turned on richer pasturage than their weakened digestive organs can assimilate. Cattle and sheep also are often subject to apoplexy from the same cause —viz., overgorging themselves—eating more than the system can readily assilimate; this frequently happens during the autumn months. A temporary change to a less abundant pasture is desirable. In the way of active treatment bleeding is usually resorted to, but as a rule a dose or two of some saline aperient —Epsom salts, for choice—will keep cattle and sheep in good order. For cattle IJlb of the salts should be the first dose ; this should be followed up by half-pound doses until the medicine operates ; its action should be afterwards maintained by 6oz doses of sulphur daily. The dose of salts for sheep is from 4oz to 6oz, and an additional ounce every six hours until the desired effect is produced. In the case of horses, as in cattle and sheep, bleeding is recommended when an attack is experienced, but as a preventive from Bto 12 drachms of aloes may be administered, a little gentid and ginger being added. Our correspondent’s letter is too vague to enable us to say more than that apoplexy is probably the complaint from which the stock is suffering.--Eo.]