more than her share of this trouble, as a severe
outbreak that extended over almost the entire State occurred in 1891,
while in 1902 and again in 1906 the disease recurred with equal severity
in various portions of the State.

This condition consists in a poisoning and depression of the nervous
system from eating or drinking feed or water containing poison generated
by mold or bacteria. It has been shown to be owing to eating damaged
ensilage, corn, brewers' grains, oats, etc., or to drinking stagnant
pond water or water from a well contaminated by surface drainage. Horses
at pasture may contract the disease when the growth of grass is so
profuse that it mats together and the lower part dies and ferments or
becomes moldy.

In England a similar disease has been called "grass staggers," due to
eating rye grass when it is ripening or when it is cut and eaten while
it is heating and undergoing fermentation. In eastern Pennsylvania it
was formerly known by the name of "putrid sore throat" and "choking
distemper." A disease similar in many respects which is very prevalent
in Virgina, especially along the eastern border, is commonly known by
the name of "blind staggers," and in many of the Southern States this
has been attributed to the consumption of worm-eaten, corn. Horses of
all ages and mules are subject to this disease.

_Symptoms and lesions._--The symptoms which typify sporadic or epidemic
cerebrospinal meningitis in man are not witnessed among horses, namely,
excessive pain, high fever, and early muscular rigidity. In the
recognition of the severity of the attack we may divide the symptoms
into three grades. In the most rapidly fatal attacks the animal may
first indicate it by weak, staggering gait, partial or total inability
to swallow solids or liquids, impairment of eyesight; twitching of the
muscles and slight cramps may be observed. As a rule, the temperature is
not elevated--indeed, it is sometimes below normal. This is soon
followed by a paralysis of the whole body, inability to stand, delirium
in which the animal sometimes goes through a series of automatic
movements as if trotting or running; the delirium may become very
violent and the unconscious animal may bruise his head very seriously in
his struggles; but usually a deep coma renders him quiet until he
expires. Death in these cases usually takes place in from 4 to 24 hours
from the time the first symptoms become manifest. The pulse is variable
during