TREMBLES. This disease is known by a number of local names, one of the most common being milk-sick or milk-sickness. It has been ascribed to a variety of causes, mineral and veg etable. It- is essentially a disease incidental to new settlements, seldom found north of forty degrees, and then only near timber, or in regions interspersed with groves. When pastures are :lenced it disappears. Horses, cattle, and sheep are affected with it, and from using the milk of cows it is communicated to the human family, producing distressing and alarming symptoms, and even death. It has now almost entirely dis appeared in the West, where it was once preva lent, especially in central Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Prof. N. S. Towashend, of the Obio Agricultural and Mechanical College, who had actual contact with the disease, in his medical prac tice, from his investigations says: a severe attack of milk-siclfness is characterized at the outset by persistent nausea and vomiting, a sense of chilli ness is commonly experienced, and great pain and tenderness are felt over the region of the stomach. After a time fever comes on, the tongue, which was at first coated and perhaps yellow, becomes dry and red, and sometimes cracks and bleeds. The vomiting continues; the matter ejected is at first bilious, but becomes dark, like coffee-grounds. There is obstinate constipation of the bowels. The examination of cases where death occurred before relief could be obtained, showed the disease to be acute inflam mation of the stomach, such as might have been produced by an irritant poison. The inner sur face of the stomach was crimson red, with patches -of darker color, or of a dull, leaden hue. Similar evidences of inflammation, though in a less degree, were found in other portions of the intestinal canal. That milk-sickness, as it occurs in the human subject, is caused by using the milk from cows that are diseased or poisoned, or by eating the flesh of animals slaughtered while similarly affected, seems. to be established by facts for which it would be difficult to find any other interpretation. Of a family of six persons, five who had used the milk of the same cow had milk-sickness—the sixth person used no milk or butter, and escaped entirely. At the time of the illness of this family, a yoke of oxen belonging to them were sick with trembles, and both died. The cow that furnished the milk used by the family, and which had pastured in the same stubble-field with the oxen, was at the time severely sick, but finally recovered, perhaps be cause the poison was eliminated from her system with the lacteal secretion. Neither the family nor the cattle used other water than that of Lake Erie. A thorough examination of the bodies of the oxen showed that both had died of inflam mation of their stomachs and bowels. This inflammation had been manifested, during life by loss of appetite, and especially by chills or rigors, such as usually precede inflammation. The cold or trembling stage in cattle is always long-continued, and constitutes the prominent feature of the affection, and hence the name— Trembles. This case, and others essentially sim ilar, leave little room to doubt that milk-sickness is a direct consequence of using milk or other animal products that have in some way become poisonous. To the question, What is it that
produces such poisoning or disease of cattle? various answers have been given. Some have supposed the cattle to be affected by malarial fever; others have attributed the disease to bad water, or poor pasturage; and still others to some poisonous plant eaten by the cattle with their food. The latter opinion, that Trembles is caused by a vegetable poison, is that more generally re ceived. But what is the plant that does the mischief? To this query many answers have been made. One says it is Rhus radkans, or Poison Ivy; another says it is Rhus toxicodendron, or Poison Oak, etc., etc. Probably the most satisfactory answer to the question is given in the Ohio Agricultural Report for 1858, in a communication from Mr. Vermilya, of Ruggles, Ashland county, O. In the same report, it appears that Mr. John Rowe, of Fayette county, had reached a similar conclusion many years previously. The results obtained by these gen tlemen, and other observers to whom they refer, fix upon the Eupatorium. ageratoides (sometimes called White-Snake Root), as the cause of Trembles in cattle, and, therefore, indirectly, of milk-sickness iu the human subject. In the re port referred to, a description and engraving of the plant are given. The Eapatoriums, of which Boneset, or Eupatorium perfoliotum, is a well known example, are some of them very energetic in their action upon the animal economy, as any one who has taken boneset tea has doubtless ex perienced. The species E. ageratoides, among the most active, is, without doubt, sufficiently so to produce decidedly poisonous effects if taken in considerable quantity. Regarding milk-sick ness as simply an inflammation of the stomach, set up by an irritant poison, the appropriate treatment is plain enough, but, Unfortunately, not always successful, for in too many cases the poison has done its deadly work before the nature of the difficulty is understood or relief obtained. Usually the stomach has been relieved of its con tents long before the arrival of the physican, whose endeavor then is to allay the nausea and vomiting, and arrest the inflammation. For such purpose pounded ice should be given as long and as freely as it proves agreeable. To relieve the burning pain in the stomach, a strong mustard-poultice over the seat of pain will be serviceable. As soon as the stomach will tolerate any medicine, laxatives, such as Seidlitz powders, should be adminstrated; or, if the constipation is obstinate. injections, containing one or more drops of croton oil, may be required. 4 A more thorough knowledge of botany by farmers seems to be desirable. The character of plants, noxious and beneficial, their effect upon animal life, the uses to which they may be put, and the injuries they are capable of inflicting, should be more profoundly and more generally studied. The E ageratoides rarely grows in cleared and enclosed pastures, but only in woods and pro tected places; and even there is not abundant or widely distributed, and cattle do not readily feed upon it, and are only induced to do so in seasons of drought when good herbage is deficient. Were the plant well known, a few hours would be sufficient to eradicate it entirely from any farm.