A 
DISCOVERY 
OF THE 
TRUE CAUSE OF THE DISEASE, 
CALLED BY THE PEOPLE, 
TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS 
ERNST H EERIN GEN. 
LOUISVILLE; 
PRrVTBD AT THE OFFICE OF THE KEJVTECKIAR. 
1843. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
District of Kentucky, 
Set. 
Be it remembered, that on this, the 26th day of November, 
1843, Ernst Heeringen,of said District, deposited in this office 
the tide of a book, the title of which is in the words following, 
to wit; “ A Discovery of the true Cause of the disease, called by 
the people, Trembles, or Milk-sickness, by Ernst Heeringen,” 
the right whereof he claims as author and proprietor, in confor- 
mity with the act of Congress entitled “An act to amend the 
several acts i-especting Copy Rights.” 
JOHN H. HANNA, C. K. D. C. 
Attest, PREFACE. 
A majority of the most enlightened of our western physicians 
have acknowledged the existence of a disease, known under the 
name of Milk-sickness, and have even taken considerable pains 
to inform us of such facts as have come within their knowledge, 
regarding this terrible malady. Milk-sickness every year de- 
stroys so many valuable lives, and causes such great pecuniary 
losses, in the sections of country where it prevails, that the Le- 
gislatures of several States have thought proper to offer liberal 
rewards to any one who would discover the cause of this disease, 
in the hope that, by these means, they would be enabled to ar- 
rest, in its fatal career, this subtle foe to human health, happi- 
ness, and even life. The community owes thanks to those who, 
in order to ascertain this cause, and with the intention of dis- 
covering a remedy, have exposed their own lives, by visiting, 
and remaining for some time, in places where the disease rages 
with the greatest violence, and there, with an eye single to the 
noble object of their visit, spared neither labor nor expense to 
accomplish the great work, so replete with blessing to the human 
family. Some of these men have published the results of their 
investigations, and thus added considerably to our knowledge of 
the character and peculiarities of the disease. The pamphlets 
of Drs. Drake and Seaton have peculiarly entitled them to our 
warmest thanks, for the new light they have thrown upon the 
subject of their researches. 
A disease, like the one in question, that annually destroys, in 
several of the States, cattle to the amount of $200,000, and even, 
many hundreds of precious human lives; to whose dangerous in- 
fluence the citizen and the farmer arc hourly alike exposed, is 
well calculated to excite a general interest. It is, therefore, not 
surprising that so many physicians have eagerly seized the sub- PREPACK. 
jectj and with unprecedented perseverance, followed the tracks of 
tne destroyer. f>ut, unfortunately, their success did not equal 
their expectations, or their merits. I take this opportunity, 
however, to state, that, all my predecessors have published, has 
been of great value to me in ray investigations,* and probably, 
without the assistance of their important discoveries and able ar- 
guments on the subject, I should not have been enabled, at this 
early date, to lay before the community the true cause of Milk- 
sickness. 
My heartfelt thanks are tendered to Judge Miller, Mr. War- 
rick Miller, and Mr. Isaac Miller, for the assistance and facilities 
they have rendered me, during my stay in their neighborhood. 
Mr Sylvester Shaw, an excellent man, who accompanied me on 
my journey for the purposeI'of discovering the cause of Milk- 
sickness, is entitled to my everlasting gratitude for the efficient 
manner in which he has seconded my undertaking. To Messrs. 
Wafter Hawes, Cornbe, Oldham, Onan, Galloway, and Garricotq. 
I am greatly indebted for valuable information, and demonstfa-. 
tions of friendship, while in the vicinity of Owensborougb. 
In the course of this pamphlet I have avoided, as much a« pos- 
sible, the introduction of technical terms; for my wish is, that it 
may be read and understood by the farmer as well as the profes- 
sional man, hoping that it may prove as useful as I anticipate. 
My being a German will account for any deficiency in the 
choice of language, and I rely upon the indulgence of my read- 
ers in this respect. 
THE AUTHOR. 
Louisville, Dec. 2, 1849. CHAPTER I. 
HISTORY OF MILK-SICKNESS. 
The knowledge of the existence of this disease extends 
to the first settlement of the western States of North Ame- 
rica. Several of the oldest settlers, for example, Mr. Gal- 
loway, near Owensborough, and others, state that since 
40 years they lost annually large quantities of cattle from 
that disease, and that their fathers before them had met 
with similar losses, from their first arrival in the country. 
1 can, therefore, safely assert, that the disease is not of late 
or spontaneous origin, but on the contrary, has been a 
permanent resident in certain portions of the Yalley of the 
Mississippi. Its occurrence is now less frequent, because 
we are better acquainted with its character, and in con- 
sequence, enabled to avoid, to a great extent, the coming 
within its iron grasp. In 1809, Dr. Barbee, first of all, 
publicly declared the existence of the Trembles; and since 
then, numerous able and minute observers have commu- 
nicated to us the result of their researches, But, notwith- 
standing their praiseworthy exertiohs, the disease still 
continues to rage, and annually carries off a great number! 
of victims. It sneaks, like a thief at night, and prostrates 
before its presence is known—spares neither mother, fa- 
ther, child, friend, neighbor, nor traveller-frequently ruins, 
in one month, a stock of cattle, that has cost to the pro- 
prietor many years of hard labor. Many fanners are en- 
tirely ruined by it; their lands are of no value to them, CAUSE OP TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
since such a dangerous foe has chosen to make them his 
residence, and at last, tired and discouraged, they sell 
their farms at almost any price, and feel as glad to leave 
the neighborhood as the French were to leave Russia. 
Thus it is that Milk-sickness proves to be a curse to any 
country in which it prevails. 
Dr. Drake, some years ago, made a tour of about 150 
miles, visiting several places where the disease carried on 
the work of destruction, and in a pamphlet, written with 
his usual ability, made us acquainted with his views on 
its cause and character. 
Dr, Seaton, who shortly afterwards set out for the same 
purpose, could not agree with Dr. Drake, that the cause 
was to be found in the vegetable, but on the contrary, 
thought it to be in the mineral kingdom. They both saw 
that the disease was occasioned by some poison, but nei- 
ther of them could satisfactorily show whether it was a 
vegetable, mineral, animal, or miasmatic poison. The 
unsettled condition of this important question prompted 
me to repair to the scene of Milk-sickness, and there to 
enter into a systematical examination of the locality. 
CHAPTER 11. 
Since three years, I have paid particular attention to the 
diseases of climate among cattle, horses and mules, such 
as they occur in the different western States, and Jound 
that, besides the diseases that are well known in Europe, 
there are three of frequent occurrence in this country, of 
which comparatively little is lienrd on the continent of Eu- 'CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS, 
7 
i'bpe. These are; the Big Head, among horses, the Hollow 
Horn and Trembles, among cattle. 
My curiosity being peculiarly excited by the various 
and sometimes contradictory statements about the charac- 
ter of the Trembles, I concluded to repair, in persona 
propria, to some place where I might have a chance of ob- 
serving the disease. I therefore removed to Madison, In- 
diana, whence it is not far to a place called “ Poison 
Mount,” where, after the first frost, a large number of cat- 
tle are annually killed by Trembles. The most remarka. 
ble peculiarity of this locality consists in this, that no 
case of Trembles is to be found within 20 miles from this 
Mount, the space of about 250 acres, of which it is compo 
sed excepted. This fact is so well known, that if any 
cow remains from home beyond the usual time, the pro- 
prietor goes to this Moulit to see whether she lies there 
sick or dead, and frequently he finds his suspicion veri- 
fied. Some farmers in this neighborhood keep their cattle 
fenced up in the pasture, experience having taught them 
how unsafe it is to let them run at large. Even in sum- 
mer some cases of Trembles have been observed there. 
The forest cn the Mount contains 26 different species of 
wood, which 1 will quote here under the same names as 
the farmers are wont to call them: 
1. Yellow and white poplar* 
2. Sugartree. 
3. Black and white ash 
4. Maple. 
5. Beech. 
6. Linn. 
7. Black and white walnut 
8. Black and sweet gum 
9. Buckye. 
10. Mulberry. 
11. White cherry. 
12. Red and black oak. 
13. Hickory. 
14. Pawpaw. 
15. Spicevvood. 
16. Bitter sweet. 
17. Grapevine. 
18. Coffee nut 
19. Blackberry. 
20. Dogwood. 
21. Sassafras. 
22. Plum. 
23. Hazle. 
24. Black haw. 
25. White elm. 
26. Burr oak. CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS- 
The forest is very dense, and Buckeye, Walnut, and 
Burdock are most numerous in it. The soil is loose, and 
some ponds of depth are to be found. On closer exami- 
nation, it will be found that it contains a good deal of clay, 
a small quantity of sand arid lime stone, very little salt 
and metalic oxyde. 
In the evening, after sunset, an odor spreads throughout 
the forest, similar to the one observed in a neighborhood 
where a quantity of flax or hemp is rotting in the water. 
The springs in the vicinity of the Mount, are ail good, and 
are used by the farmer without the least disadvantage. 
There are seven springs close by. 1 have drank water 
from each one of them, and found it inferior to none I 
ever tasted. But the ponds are filled with water of a slimy, 
boggy nature, containing a quantity of putrifying vegeta- 
bles, and thus kept in constant fermentation. The botan- 
ical character of this Mount is the same as in the adjoining 
country, where no Milk-sickness is to be found. I have 
carefully examined all the plants, collected and dried a 
specimen of each, and then compared them with those I 
collected where no Trembles have ever occurred. I have 
met with no metal there, iron excepted, the presence of 
which imparts to the soil, in some places, a brownish ap- 
pearance. During my short stay in the neighborhood of 
the Mount, I have met with several cows that were attack- 
Ed with the Trembles; some recovered, and a few of them 
died. 
I now directed ray attention towards Owensborough, 
Ky., where I understood the Trembles were of frequent 
occurrence. By the politeness of Judge Miller, Jefferson 
county, Ky., I was provided with a letter of introduction 
to Mr. Walker Hawes, a very respectable farmer in the 
vicinity of Owensborough, and then set out for this new 
field of operations. Mr. Hawes, upon inquiry, informed 
me that eight years ago he had lost all his cattle by the CAUSE OF THEMEEES, OK AMLK-SIGKNESS, 
Trembles ; since then he had cleared his wood-land, turn- 
ed it into pasture, deadened most of the timber, and from 
that time none of his cows were taken with the Trembles, 
although they still continued drinking out of the same 
spring. The vegetable growth on his place, he assured ust 
was in no ways altered, but still alike to what it was at 
the time he lost his stock. 
I next visited Mr. Combe, a neighbor of Mr, Hawes. 
He informed me that he had never known any thing pf 
the Trembles, on his place. The spring, whose water 
his cattle make pse of, arises qutpf a bed of coal. There 
is a school some short .distance from this spring, where 
about fifty children are taught. They have used this water 
for several years, without the slightest disadvantage. The 
vegetable growth in this place I found to be the same as 
it is near Madison, with but few and unimportant excep. 
tions. 
Next I went to the farm pf Mr. Galloway. He stated 
that in the space of forty years, the Trembles had destroy- 
ed something like one hundred and twenty-five head of 
his cattle. That himself has had Milk-sickness twice. 
He keeps no more cattle, as it would be of no use to him, 
nor any body else. The milk of a cow affected with the 
Trembles, he said, looks blue-black, and has a bad odor. 
But if such an animal is put into the stable, and well 
taken care of, the appearance of the milk would change 
in two to six days, and the animal would perhaps recover 
altogether. He further states that the cows do not look 
very sick, as long as their calves live, or until they are no 
longer milked. On opening such cows he generally 
found in the stomach a large quantity of a slimy, bad 
smelling substance, in which he could distinguish clay, 
putrified grass, &c., the whole looking very much like the 
surface of foul stagnant water. 
He further told me that if I wished lo see the cows in 10 
CAUSE OK TREMBLESj OK MILK-SICKtfESS. 
the act of trembling, I only need go to the woods and 
chase them about for a little while, and six out of ten 
would begin to tremble in consequence of this exercise. 
I did so, and found this statement to be correct. 
In a room where there is a patient laboring under 
Milk-sickness, a peculiar odor exists, similar to the one, 
he said, that the milk of a sick cow possesses. That a 
person who once had Milk-sickness will ever after present 
this peculiar odor in perspiring. The same statement was 
made by several others in this neighborhood. 
Mr. Oldham, another neighbor, on whose farm I re- 
mained ten days, told me that in nine years he had lost 
about fifty head of cattle from the same disease, although 
he only kept eight or ten head annually. 
His description was like the one of Mr. Galloway, but 
he thought the cause of Milk-sickness was mineral poison in 
the water. Notwithstanding himself and family continued 
to use the same water without injury. He had Milk-sickness 
twice himself, but then he acknowledges it was in conse- 
quence ofusing the milk ofa cow which proved to be poison- 
ed. He said that some of his family were taken ill after us- 
ing milk, while others, that had used of the same, never felt 
any the worse for it, and that the physicians he employed 
in such cases, declared the disease to be congestive fever, 
and not Milk-sickness. 
Mr. Roman, another farmer in the vicinity, told me that 
three years ago he lost from the first of September to the 
first of October thirty head of cattle by the Trembles; that 
within the last thirty years lie had lost at least one him 
dred head, and he had observed that disease in his 
neighborhood had occurred most in dry hot weather, or 
after a sudden change. He thought the poison must be 
contained in. the atmosphere, becauss the air in those 
parts where the disease prevails most, exhibits after sun- CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MIL&-SICKNESS. 
11 
set a very unpleasant, infected odor. The general opinion 
of the farmers, however, is that the poison is contained 
in the water ; because the sick and dead animals are gen- 
erally found close to some pond or spring, where evidently 
they have been drinking, and then were unable to leave 
the place. But this opinion is erroneous. I believe that 
the sick animals, tormented by fever and exhausted al. 
ready to a gteat degree, drag themselves to some water- 
ing place in order to quench their thirst. They drink an 
uncommon quantity of the water, and the exertion or the 
heavy weight of the fluid on their stomachs, prostrates 
them at once, and they are found iu a condition which is 
not the cause but the consequence of the disease. 
From Owensborough to the Green river country the 
Trembles prevail to a greater or less degree, and some of 
the farmers, to save (heir stock, are obliged to keep it 
under fence. 
The woods in tin’s neighborhood present the same ap- 
pearance as those near Madison. The country is level 
and broken alternately. The soil is rich in most of {daces. 
The vegetable growth the same as near Madison, but the 
water is not of as good a quality. There are some swamps 
and numerous ponds filled with water of a foul and putrid 
nature. The springs are generally situated in deep hoi. 
lows, and the rain carries a deal of dirt, leaves, &c. into 
them, which causes the water to be any thing but plea- 
sant, and has thus led a great many to the belief that the 
water contains mineral poison. On riding through this 
country at night, I could plainly smell the same peculiar 
odor which I found near Poison Mount, in Indiana. The 
soil there contains ten per cent, lime, thirty per cent, clay, 
twenty per cent, sand, thirty per cent, vegetable substance, 
nine per cent, barytes,and one percent, iron- A great deal 
of limestone is to be found in the neighborhood. On 
my return I met a gentleman on board of the steamboat 12 
C.iUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS.’ 
who informed me that he lived on a farm thirty miles from 
Owensborough, in Indiana, and that he had lost a good deal 
of his stock with Trembles. Four years ago he turned 
fourteen head of cattle into a thirty acre lot of fenced 
wood-land. The fence was so constructed that the cattle 
could, from the lot, come up to the house, where he had 
put up a trough to water them. The water they thus 
received was from the same spring, that served for family 
purposes. In the lot there was neither spring nor pond, 
and notwithstanding all these precautions, the Trembles 
destroyed from the first of June to the first of August the 
whole of this stock, without any of his family becoming 
indisposed. Mr. Sylvester Shaw, the gentleman named 
in the preface, was present when this statement w?as 
made to me, and is willing to vouch for its correctness. 
Another farmer, Mr. Williams, living in the vicinity of 
Frankfort, told me that he had paid a great deal of atten- 
tion to this disease, and had frequently observed it even 
in the winter season. During my stay near Owensbo- 
fough, I had occasion to observe a great many cases of 
Trembles. One case was to me peculiarly interesting. 
An ox, that apparently was in excellent health, began to 
tremble every time he was taken up and put in the 
plough, as soon as he had worked but a few minutes. 
He had been in this condition for three months previous 
to my seeing him. The proprietor thought he would 
recover. CAUSE OF TREMBLES, Oil MILK-SJCKWESS. 
13 
CHAPTER 111. 
According to ail the statements I have been able to 
collect, it appears that: 
1. A peculiar unpleasant odor originates in a room 
where any person or persons are affected with Milk- 
sickness, 
2. Persons that were once attacked with this disease, 
transmit even a number of years after the attack, the 
same odor when perspiring. 
3. Such persons never enjoy as good health afterwards 
as they did before they had the disease. 
4 One and the same person is liable to repeated at- 
tacks of the disease, when coming in contact with the 
cause of it. 
5, One person or persons may become sick in conse- 
quence of using milk, butter or meat, while others that 
use it also, escape the malady. This proves that a certain 
susceptibility or predisposition exists in those that become 
Milk-sick. 
6, The disease may attack old persons as well as 
young ones. 
7. Some die with the disease, although others that 
have used more of the poisoned milk or butter, recover 
their health. 
8. The stomachs of persons killed by the disease are 
found to be very much inflamed. 
9. That the functions of the intestines are paralyzed. 
10. Milk-sickness is a secondary complaint, inasmuch 
as no person ever had it but in consequence of using milk, 
butter or meat of an animal affected with Trembles. 
However, some diseases very similar to Milk-sickness in 
their symptoms and character have been experienced by 14 
CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
persons that had not used liny of the above named articles, 
and as Milk-sickness existed perhaps in the neighbor- 
hood, they were thus led into the erroneous belief that 
their diseases were of course cases of Milk-sickness. 
Let us now proceed and examine the symptoms and 
circumstances attending’ the Trembles of cattle. 
1. This disease attacks generally, in the first place, 
the stoutest and fattest of the stock. 
2. It may exist in all seasons, but principally and most 
violent is it observed in dry seasons, or after sudden 
changes of the weather. 
3. It occurs on the mountains as well as in the depth 
of a valley. 
4. It is more frequent in low parts of the country. 
5. Trembles asc never known in a prairie, but always 
in wood-land. 
0. Trembles are observed in sand-stone as well as in 
lime-stone regions. 
7. The disease is not confined to those parts where the 
soil contains large quantities of minerals and metals. 
8, It occurs where there are numerous ponds and 
springs, but also where there are none or only few. 
9. In some places it always begins during summer; for 
example, in Jasper, Lanesville, Greenville and Rockport, 
Indiana. In others, durinsr the fall and winter; forex- 
O 7 
ample, in Owensborough, Kentucky, and in Madison, 
Indiana. 
10. Clearing the land on which the cattle acquire the 
disease, does generally appear to remove the cause in the 
course of a few years. 
11. As long as a cow suckles a calf, or the milk is 
regularly taken off by milking, the symptoms of the mala- 
dy are not to be observed, which proves that the diseased 
matter is entirely absorbed by the sanguiferous apparatus. CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKXESS. 
15 
12. Tn the progress of the disease the milk assumes a 
blue-black appearance, a very offensive odor, and its use 
in this stale is fatal to man and beast. 
13. After the calf is dead, or the milk is no longer taken 
from the cow, and she is still exposed to the primary 
cause ; the life of the animal is very much endangered, 
because the poisonous''matter is then transferred to the 
nervous system. 
14, The milk has a dirty, grayish sediment. 
15. The Trembles frequently kill in. the space of twen- 
ty-four hours, but in some instances they have a more 
protracted character. 
16. An animal that has had the Trembles once, if 
exposed to the cause again, may have a return of the 
disease.' 
17. An animal that has imbibed the disease will show 
the symptoms plainly, if chased about for a while. 
18. The exhalation of diseased animals is not conta- 
gions. 
19. Cattle are most subject to this disease; horses, 
mules, goats and sheep are less so. Dogs and. hogs have 
never been known to have this disease, except after eat- 
ing the meat of some animal that was killed by Trem- 
bles. 
20. Cattle are more liable to catch the disease when- 
out during the night, than those that are kept up at night. 
21. A calf that has used diseased milk for some time, 
may be seen to fall down when sucking the cow; but this 
must rather be ascribed to the exertion, which is too 
much for its diseased and exhausted condition, than to 
the influence of the diseased milk it is just then using, the 
bad quality of which could not possibly operate so sud- 
denly. 
The general symptoms presented by animals laboring CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR -MILK SICKNESS. 
under this disease are weakness, heaviness, madness, 
running to and fro, stumbling, violent trembling during 
the attack, constipation, slobbering, and the effect of the 
milk upon those that use of it. Horses perspire profusely 
before the trembling takes place. On opening the bodies 
pf such animals as had died with this disease, I general- 
ly found the mucous membrane of the stomach inflamed, 
the muscular fibres contracted, the intestinal canal dry, 
hard, and in some parts gangrenous. 
Some farmers informed me that in several instances 
they had found the lungs also much inflamed, the spleen 
in a gangrenous condition, the gall-bladder full of cor- 
rupt bile, and in the stomach large quantities ofa petrified, 
slimy and offensively smelling substance. 
The bodies of such animals putrify shortly after death, 
with more than usually offensive odor. 
CHAPTER IV. 
It will be seen by reading and comparing the numer- 
ous treatises that have, from time to time, emanated from 
the press, and were penned by able and close observers, 
that the true cause of Trembles has not as yet been dis- 
covered ; that each doctrine has been successfully contra- 
dicted by a succeeding one. In fact no satisfactory result 
could be expected from all the exertions which have been 
made, as the attention of the physicians, who were en- 
deavoring to find out the cause of this disease, was mostly 
engrossed in observing the secondary disease, which is 
Milk-sickness or Sick Stomach, instead of observing the CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SI GKN ESS, 
17 
Trembles in cattle, horses, &c. which is no doubt the 
primary disease and best calculated to furnish the cause 
by which it is called into existence. 
In coming before the public with the promise of point- 
ing out the true cause of Trembles, I am well aware of 
the responsibility I assume, and I assure the reader, that 
only a thorough conviction, based upon a long series of 
experiments and observations, and close study upon this 
subject, could ever prompt me to embark in a vessel, on 
board of which so many before me have been wrecked. 
The disease, called Milk-sickness attacks men only in 
consequence of eating the milk, butter or meat of an ani- 
mal laboring under Trembles. This may be considered 
an undeniable fact; and therefore it may be asserted, that 
the cause of Milk-sickness has been known to the com- 
munity long ago. But what service has been derived 
from this knowledge ? I say none. 
Thus it will be seen that in order to put a stop to Milk- 
sickness, the cause of the Trembles has to be found out 
first, and the means provided for the annihilation of this 
cause. It is obvious that the farrier is better adapted 
to this task than the physician, who would hardly go to the 
trouble, or would perhaps consider it derogatory to his 
dignity, to pay so much attention to the sick animal, as 
is required for our purpose. The discovery of the cause 
of the Trembles lies not within the province of a doctor, 
but necessarily ranges into that of the farrier. Thus we 
may account for the abortive efforts of the learned and 
skilled men, who have hitherto labored for the triumph 
and glory connected with this important discovery. These 
are the reasons for which I have thought it my duty to 
enter the field, and hope that my exertions may prove 
useful, as I wish them to be. 
Before I progress any farther in my statements, I deem 18 
CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
it proper to insert here some extracts from the able work 
of Dr. J. F. Q Dietrich, of Berlin, in Prussia, on Special 
Pathology and Therapeutics. The quotation will convey 
an idea of some diseases well known to every practical 
and scientific farrier, and becomes important to me by 
comparing the symptoms and characters of diseases there 
spoken of, with the nature of the one we have now unde* 
consideration. In §llO4 of the above named work he 
says : 
Of Epidemics in General. 
§ 1104.—Epidemics are those diseases by which a great 
number of animals, sometimes the whole of a flock, are 
attacked at the same time, or at short intervals, with 
nearly the same symptoms, and which are occasioned by 
some uncommon and general cause. From this circum- 
stance they have derived the name of Panzootia,, (flock 
diseases.) 
§ 1105.—Some of these diseases are produced by a 
contagious poison, containing a principle peculiarly nu- 
isible to one or the other species of animals, which by 
some means is communicated to them from without, 
either directly or indirectly, and possesses the quality to 
produce the same disease in the same species of animals, 
by means of which it reproduces itself. This takes place 
in those diseases which are called contagious, such as 
murrain, (Pestis bourn, Bovilla,) or sheep-pox, (Variolse 
ovium.) 
§ 1106.—: Some contagious diseases are ever called forth 
by some contagious principle of foreign origin, which 
never arises in our country primarily; but after it is once 
brought among us, it reproduces itself, and exercises its 
injurious influence upon a greater or less number of the 
same species of animals, among which it has settled. 
This is a contagium, which might properly be called va- 
grant, because it goes from one place to another, from 
one section of the country to another, wherever it finds 
means by which it is nourished. Neither weather nor 
season are able to stop its progress. The only manner CAUSES OF tREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
19 
an which it can be limited, is to not let any healthy ani- 
mals, of that species among which it rages, come in con- 
tact with it. 
§ 1107.—Others are produced by a combination of 
general causes, operating in a peculiar manner upon one 
or several species of animals, and differing according to 
local circumstances, weather, season, or the predisposi- 
tion of the animals to tjie disease. To this class belongs 
the inflammatory fever, cow-leeches, joint murrain, 6tc. of 
the spleen (anthrax.) In this disease a contagious principle 
developes itself also, or the disease may have been produ- 
ced by it. However, the contagious quality of this disease 
does nut extend beyond the immediate neighborhood of 
the affected animal, but any thing coming into close or 
oculating contact with it, will most assuredly feel its in- 
fluence shortly afterwards. 
§ 1108.—From what is said in the previous paragraph 
it will be seen that this contagium is not properly organ- 
ized arid independent, but owes its dsvelopement to acci- 
dental circumstances, and as soon as they cease, the 
production of the contagium ceases also, or at least it 
loses its power upon the animal economy. 
§ 1109.—1t is therefore not to be looked upon as a 
veritable contagium, because it depends on the disease 
for existence. But once produced it is very powerful, 
attacks all species of animals without distinction, when- 
ever they come within the sphere of its action. A dis- 
ease thus imbibed is always very dangerous, and ari 
animal that has once recovered from it, is fully as liable 
to have it again, when exposed to its exciting cause, as 
the one that never has had it. 
§ 1110—There are still some other epidemics that, al- 
though imported at first from abroad, have now become 
domesticated among us, and are kept up by some atmos- 
pherical vicissitude. In these a contagium is developed, 
possessing volatile and fixed qualities, which are capa- 
ble of reproducing the same disease in healthy animals of 
the same species, for example in glanders, &c. 
§ 1111.—-A similar state of things exists in the Farcy,' 
where, not only the secreted lymphatic fluid applied to a 
healthy animal may reproduce the disease, but where also 
small insects are generated, that contribute to the propa- 20 
OAUSfi OP TREMBLES, OR MJLK-SICKWESS. 
gation of the disease. All these diseases are included 
among the contagions epidemics, notwithstanding the 
difference in the quality of each separate contagium. 
§lll2.—There are also noncontagious epidemics, which 
are technically termed Epizootire pura. They are pro- 
duced by general atmospherical vicissitudes, and operate 
according to individual predisposition; the fever accom- 
panying them imparts to the disease its peculiar charac- 
ter. They continue but a short time, and no contagious 
principle is produced by them. Under this head we may 
name the periodical epidemics, which are occasioned by 
a sudden change of the weather or of the food, principal- 
ly in the autumn and spring, change of locality or climate 
when animals are transported from one part of the coun- 
try to another. 
§ 1113*—When the causes of some euch disease are lim- 
ited to a certain village, region, stable, or when the 
disease depends on certain local circumstances and be- 
comes endemic, has no regular course, and from the con- 
tinuance of these local causes, attacks at certain seasons 
almost all the healthy animals not only, but also those 
that have had the disease before, then it is called Enzoo- 
tia puia. 
§ 1115.—But these diseases may also depend on causes 
of a general nature, return regularly at ceriain seasons of 
the year, at the same place, and annually attack a number 
of animals—for example, Cachexea ovium kyehapica. 
§ 1116.—These Epizootiae and Enzootse are not conta- 
gious, although the effluvia of a number of animals labor- 
ing under these diseases, may produce disease among the 
healthy animals that come in contact with it. It is not 
to be wondered at that the atmosphere in the neighbor- 
hood, where there are many sick animals, should become 
dangerous to those even that are healthy, but this cannot 
be called a veritable contagium, because it does not al- 
ways contain the same specific principle. 
§ 1116.—When therefore several animals are attacked 
in this manner, and the disease assumes a malignant cha- 
racter, the cause is founded upon a miasmatic vicissitude, 
and not upon a contagium. This miasma owes its exist- 
ence to unfavorable local circumstances, putrefaction of a 
quantity of organic matter, animal effluvia, &c., all of CAUSE dr TREMBLES, OK MILK-SICKWESS. 
21 
which may produce various derangements of the animal 
functions. 
§ 1117.—Contagious epidemics are imported into our 
country from the south-east and east of Europe and Asia, 
and after one animal is attacked by this contagium, it will 
communicate itself to all those of the same species that 
•come within its reach, without exercising the least injuri- 
ous influence upon animals of other species, as long as 
the contagium has its specific quality purely. 
Diseases thus produced have a regular course and fixed 
period of duration, from which they do not deviate, al- 
though various influences may aggravate or mitigate their 
character. However, the murrain attacks those breed of 
cattle, related to the one, to which it originally belongs, 
with less violence, than those that are of our home breed. 
Contagious epidemics never attack the same animal more 
than once, although it may afterwards come again within 
the reach or even into close contact with the contagium. 
§ 1118.—The various modifications of Anthrax are ori- 
ginally with us from a combination of panzootic vicissi- 
tudes, such as the effluvia of swamps, pollution of the 
atmosphere from the putrefaction of animal and vegetable 
substances, that exercise a peculiar influence upon ani- 
mals of certain species. However, animals of all species 
are subject to these diseases, and in their diseased condi- 
tion, or when dead in consequence of it, they become 
dangerous to men and beasts, who come into inoculating 
contact with them. These diseases have no fixed period 
of duration, for this depends mainly on the disposition of 
the individual, constitution, situation, &c., by which the 
character of the disease is formed. They cease so soon 
as the causes above named are removed. 
§ 1119.—Some other contagious diseases originate in 
this country at certain times from general injurious influ- 
ences. the weather, food, locality, over-exertions, &c., for 
the contagium has become domesticated among us> and 
once established they possess, like all other contagious 
diseases, the quality of being transferred upon other ani- 
mals of the same species; but usually they rage neither 
with so much volence nor to such an extent as those 
whose contagium has been imported from the orient, and 
is of a more volatile nature. The violence of these dis- 22 
CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICRNESS. 
eases depends however very much on the degree of the 
noxious influence, or the length of time it has been oper- 
ating, and last but not least upon the medical attention 
which is bestowed upon the diseased animal. They may 
also attack the same animal as often as it is exposed to 
the contagium. Some of them prove frequently fatal, 
§ 1120.—In order to ascertain whether a disease is an 
epidemic, the following circumstances have to be taken 
into consideration: 
1. The duration and course of the disease. Whether 
it has regular fixed periods, and whether there is a simi- 
larity of pathological phenomena in all cases. 
2. The cause or origin of the disease. If there are no 
obvious panzootic vicissitudes to be discovered, the sup- 
position arises, that the disease is contagious; this be- 
comes the more probable, when there are but a few ani- 
mals attacked at firsthand the disease gradually seizes all 
those that come into close contact with the former, until 
it is generally diffused. Experiments of inoculation are 
infallible means, by which to ascertain the existence or 
absence of a contagious principle. If the disease is pre- 
ceded by sudden changes of the weather, temperature, or 
locality, food, pasture, &c., to whose influence we may 
reasonably ascribe the nature of the disease, then it is to 
be classed under the non-contagious diseases, and called 
Epizootia. Still further proof is added to this Diagnosis, 
when the disease does not extend beyond the limits, 
where the apparent cause exists, and where in different 
parts of the country under the similar influences, the same 
disease sets in among animals that have not been in con- 
tact with others that were thus affected. 
3. Post mortem examinations of animals dying from 
the disease, generally impart a great deal of information 
about the nature and character of the disease. 
4. Does the disease prevail among one or several spe- 
cies of animals ? What are the circumstances seemingly 
favorable to its origin ? Is the disease similar in charac- 
ter to one that rages in some distant part of the country ? 
The investigation of these questions frequently throws a 
great deal of light upon an obscure disease. 
5. In order to establish a correct diagnosis of such a 
disease, it is necessary to sura up all the pathological CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
23 
phenomena which it presents. The pulse, state of the 
bowels, looks, appetite, voluntary and involuntary move- 
ments, respiration and conduct of the diseased animals, 
have to be taken into particular consideration. 
§ 1121.—The treatment of epidemics is limited: First, 
to the prevention of all intercourse between the sick and 
healthy animals, either in a direct or indirect manner. 
This is no doubt the best and most useful proceeding in 
contagious epidemics, and the only one by which the pro- 
gress of the disease can be effectually arrested. 
2. To the mitigation and removal of the causes by 
which th® disease was occasioned. This proceeding is 
called the prophylactic and is of the greatest impoitance, 
inasmuch as it will be useful almost under any circum- 
stances ; for even the influence of the weather may, by 
proper arrangements, be made to lose considerable of its 
noxious effect upon animals. 
3. To the removal of the disease itself, the mitigation 
of the symptoms and prevention of all that might occasion 
an increase of the violence of the disease. This is called 
the medical treatment, and besides the above named du- 
ties, it belongs also into its administration, to see the 
bodies of the dead animals buried as soon as possible, and 
in a place where it is most likely that no animals will 
visit. 
Dr. Dietrich, in his work, then goes on with the descrip- 
tion of the murrain, (pestis bourn, bovilla, typhus bourn 
contagiosus,) and the sheep pox (variolse ovium, ovinae,) 
X shall pass over both of these, because they have no re- 
lationship with the disease we have under investigation. 
Next comes a description of several modifications of an- 
thrax, from which I shall quote some extracts, as I con- 
sider them of the greatest importance in the chain of my 
arguments on the subject of Trembles. He says : 
§ 1183.—The various anthrax fevers (febres ataxo ady- 
namica) are diseases with which it is very important to 
become familiarly acquainted, because they frequently 
originate in this country from general panzootic causes. 24 
CAUSE OP TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS; 
local circumstances, &c., and are not like some other 
contagious diseases imported from distant countries ; 
they sometimes attack animals of all species, render some 
important organs very much disposed to gangrene, and 
thus prove very fatal. 
§ 1184.—Anthrax (mortification of the spleen) is the 
foim under which we meet this disease most frequently. 
§ 1185.—Anthrax (joint murrain) generally makes its 
appearance during the hot and dry season; it does not 
communicate itself to animals of the same species in the 
same manner as murrain or sheep pox are communicated ; 
the contagion of this disease is to be effected only by close 
contact or inoculation with the salvia, blood, excrements 
or the use of the meat, milk, &c., of the diseased animal. 
But under these circumstances the contagium will oper- 
ate alike upon animals of every description. This dis- 
ease has no regular period of duration, and its most prom- 
inent feature is, the disposition to decomposition and 
petrifaction accompanying it in every instance, 
§ 1186.—The symptoms of anthrax are very numerous 
and very frequent, because this disease undergoes a great 
many modifications; it has therefore been divided into 
three' species: First, anthrax acutissimus ; second, an- 
thrax acutus ; third, anthrax carbuncularis. 
1. Anthrax acutissimus kills animals frequently in a 
few hours, but sometimes they linger for twenty-four hours 
with the disease. 
2. Anthrax acutus seldom proves fatal in less than from 
two to eight days. 
3. Anthrax carbuncularis, continues for weeks and even 
months, and animals affected with it are frequently cov- 
ered with nodes or boils in several parts of the body. 
§ 1195,—Horses are also liable to attacks of anthrax 
and there a profuse perspiration precedes the other symp- 
toms. 
§ 1197.—Anthrax occurs also among sheep. 
§ 1203.—Anthrax rages generally in hot seasons and in 
swampy or broken places it is observed most frequently. 
Sudden changes of weather from warm to cold, change 
of food, want of pure water, or the use of stagnant, fer- 
menting water, &c. may be considered as causes of an- 
thrax; The propagation of the disease may be effected CAUSE OP TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
25 
by bringing some excretion of the diseased or dead ani- 
mal into such contact with an healthy body, that its 
poisonous quality may be absorbed by him and brought 
into the circulation, or by the use of the meat, milk, cp-c. 
of a diseased or dead animal. 
Accordingjo the views expressed by Dr. Dietrich on 
the subject of epizootics/ we must come to the following 
conclusions, that there are ; 
1. Contagious epizootics, that from the volatile nature of 
their contaglura, propagate themselves by means of the 
atmosphere, but attack animals cf one species only—for 
example, the murrain, tfc , they are called contagiones 
pur a. 
2. Contagious epizootics which attack animals of every 
species, when they come within the reach of the effluvia 
of animals that are laboring under such diseases, or when 
they use their meat, milk, &c. This is the case with the 
anthrax, (inflammatory fever, cowleeches, graziers, joint 
felon, joint murrain, &c.) In all of these diseases the 
contagium is fixed or limited, and possesses not the 
volatile nature spoken of in the former number. They 
are called contagiones impure. 
3, There are others whose contagium possesses both 
fixed and volatile qualities, glanders for example. Epizoo- 
tia pura and impura contagions occur very frequently in 
America, but fortunately for this country, the genuine 
contagious epidemics, such as murrain, have to my know- 
ledge never been observed here. I think I have by the 
extracts quoted on the preceding pages, enabled my 
readers to judge for themselves whether, in forming my 
diagnosis of the disease called Trembles, I am entitled to 
their confidence in my assertions, and will therefore pro- 
ceed in the performance of this task. I consider this 
point the most important, because, from it depends as 26 
GAUSS OF TRJEWBCKS, OR MILK-SICKJ*KS«. 
well the prevention, as the cure of the disease, and when 
we are once correctly informed as to the nature and cha- 
racter of the disease, it will be a matter of no great diffi- 
culty to discover also its true cause. The philosophical 
principle laid down by Dr. Guy W. Wright, with refer- 
ence to diagnostic and which is to be found in the seventh 
number of the first volume of the Western Medical and 
Physical Journal, is as follows: 
“ In the investigation of all anomalous diseases where 
the cause is unknown, or very obscure, the most philoso- 
phical course of inquiry is first to consider its analogy 
to those known diseases, to which they bear the greatest 
resemblance, and then, if the treatment will sustain the 
comparison, it is circumstantially proved, that there is a 
proportionate relation in the cause of either.” 
Without fear of contradiction it may be said that this is 
the most rational manner of investigating an obscure dis- 
ease, and, like Dr, Seaton before me, 1 have in my re- 
searches followed the advice of Dr. Wright. 
In § 1120 Dr, Dietrich also gives directions to the farrier 
for the comprehension of diseases and establishment of 
diagnosis, which have been of great service to me. 
Milk-sckness, as it occurs in men, is undoubtedly an 
epidemic, and the physicians, who are alluded to in the 
following article from the Western Medical Journal, in 
Vol', iv. No. v. page 370, No. xxxiii: 
** In conclusion, we ought to observe, that there are 
physicians who deny that the disease called Milk-sickness 
is a specific malady, and insist that it is nothing more 
than autumnal fever of a congestive type, attended with 
great irritability of the stomach;” 
Are most assuredly nearer the truth than those who 
look upon Milk-sickness as a disease produced by the 
operation of some vegetable or mineral poison. CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS, 
27 
Now if Milk-sickness is an epidemic, the Trembles, 
causing Milk-sickness, must necessarily be an epidemic 
(or Epizootia) also. This deduction is logically correct, 
and defies contradiction, for who did ever hear of a lion- 
ess bringing forth a sparrow ? But on the other hand, 
the knowledge that Trembles is an epidemic, becomes 
very important to refute some doctrines that have been 
laid before the public heretofore, the authors of which 
tried to demonstrate that this disease was occasioned bv 
some vegetable or mineral poison. 
Now I would ask those gentlemen, whether they ever 
heard that a mineral or vegetable poison could produce 
an epidemic ? In order to define this disease more accn, 
rately, we have to inquire now, to which of the epizootic 
diseases it properly belongs, or whether it is an independ- 
and newly discovered epizootia. 
We find upon inquiry that it is not a disease*f)urely 
contagious, inasmuch as it attacks animals of severahspe- 
cies, which a pure contagium, according to Dr. Dietrich, 
(§ 1105 and 1117,) is not capable o/ doing: 
It is fiot an enzootia pura either, because the cdnta- 
giura capable of reproducing epiaootta in 
other animals, but the contagium of Trembles 
for we know that the milk and flesh of animals, laboring 
under this disease, reproduces epizootia, not only in other 
animals, but also in men if they make use of these. 
Thus it will be seen that the Trembles are an epizootia; 
belonging to the family of anthrax fevers; their contagium 
is fixed, and the exhalation of diseased animals does not 
reproduce the disease in others that come in contact with 
it, and therefore we must consider it as a separate and in- 
dependent member of the anthrax family. According to 
§ 1107, 1108, 1109 and 1185, the milk, flesh, &e. ofdis- 
eased animals affected with anthrax, possess the power CAUSE OF TREMBLES* OR MILK-SICKNESS 
of reproducing the same disease in all those that make 
use of these articles. All this being the case in Trembles, 
I would have no hesitation in pronouncing the Trembles 
to be identical with anthrax, if there were not several 
other features in anthrax, which we do not find again in 
Trembles, and vice versa, for example: The exhalation of 
animals affected with anthrax transplants this disease upon 
all animals, without respect to their species, that come in 
contact with it. This is not the case in Trembles. On 
the other hand a prominent symptom of the Trembles is 
obstinate constipation, but this does not attend in an- 
thrax. 
From all circumstances I am compelled to believe that 
the Trembles belong to the anthrax family, of which they 
are a distinct and independent member. The most Dro- 
p for the disease, would be the following yhlpizoo. 
tica Americana aut Febris ataxo acutissimus cum carac. 
tore contagiose—or in English, Trembles—which is as 
good a denomination as ally that could possibly be made 
use of. Milk-sickness, or sick stomach, should be bap- 
tized Epidemica Americana Secundaria./Having thus, 
"upon philosophical principles, estabnsnea the diagnosis 
1 of Trembles, it becomes my task now to define its cause 
in such a manner, that there cannot be the slightest doubt 
as to the correctness of my assertion, In a preceding 
part of this treatise, I have already stated that, in all those 
places where Trembles rage, I have found sufficient, ac- 
cording to §llO7, to account for the production of anthrax 
fevers; for example, the large quantities of vegetable matter 
putrifying in the neighborhood, unfavorable local circum. 
stances, impure and stagnant water, &c. and thus it is 
obvious that these causes are also to be considered as the 
ones which produce Trembles. I will also here refer the 
reader to Mason’s Farrier, an excellent work, in which CAUSE OF TKEMJJLES, OK MXLK-SICKSTESS. 
fete will find, that these same causes have long been known 
in certain parts of the country to occasion joint murrain 
nr inflammatory fever, &c. 
Before I go any farther, I will once more say that I de- 
clare the Trembles to be an epizootic disease, a member 
nf the anthrax family, possessing, however, some peculiar 
features, and caused by local circumstances, such as 
swamps, putrifaction of vegetable and animal substances, 
stagnant and fermenting water, sudden changes of wealh. 
er, hot weather, or in one word by Malaria, attended 
with some peculiar qualities, favorable to the production 
of these specific morbid phenomena. 
But deeming it necessary to add still further pi oof that 
nothing else can be the cause of Trembles, I will now 
discuss the merits of the poison doctrines that have excit- 
ed, in no small degree, the attention and interest of the 
community, although they were nothing less than the 
causes of Trembles, and it seems to me very easily refut- 
ed. Why is it, that the Trembles are not occasioned by 
one or several poisonous plants ? 
Dr. Drake, in his pamphlet, page 44, says the follow 
ing: 
“At first view, all the circumstances would seem to be 
in favor of this division, as furnishing the special cause. 
The disease begins in herbivorous animals ; They feed 
among plants, many of which are virulent; it is a well 
known general fact, that cattle sometimes kill themselves 
by eating noxious plants ; many pre-existing_ facts go to 
show, that the flesh and secreted fluids of herbivorous ani- 
mals are often modified by their food, and that substances 
of unusual color or odor, not unfrequentiy manifest their 
presence, or that of some of iheir elements, in the solids 
of the body and in the fluids and. gases excreted from the 
kidneys, the skin and the lungs. There is then much 
plausibility in the opinion, that the Trembles are occa- 30 
C.iUSE OP TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
sioned by the eating of a plant, while there, is nothing 
physiologically absurd in the hypothesis of a contamina- 
tion of the flesh and milk of the animal. Here then we 
have a substantial foundation to stand upon, and from 
whence to extend our inquiries after the particular plant. 
But before we commence, it is proper to refer toan opi- 
nion held by some persons in the district, that the disease 
may be the offspring of several. 
“ This we consider untenable, inasmuch as different 
poisonous plants vary from each other in their mode of 
action and effects, and, of course, the symptoms vary; 
but the symptoms of Trembles are remarkably unifoim, 
as much the same, indeed, as those produced by opium, 
tartar emetic, arsenic, or the preparations oflead. Fora 
plant to produce the Trembles, it must be one that is 
noxious ; that is not very minute, for the cow when 
placed in the midst of abundance, is disposed to browse 
on the larger ; it must be acceptable to the taste of cattle, 
horses and sheep, not to extend the catalogue, or else it 
will not be eaten by all which contract the disease ; it 
must be in leaf in autumn as well as summer; it must 
grow abundantly in and around the spots which generate 
the disease, and sparsely or not at all in the surrounding 
plateaus, or in other localities of the district; lastly, it 
must be liable to destruction under simple deadening of 
the timber, harrowing of the ground, and scattering over 
it the seeds of any of the grasses.” 
Let us now dispose of the argument of this quotation, 
and say— 
1. Farmers are well aware that their catde are some- 
times poisoned from the use of some noxious leaf or plant; 
but they are also aware from the symptoms what special 
plant they have been using ; the experience of those living 
on spots, where such noxious leaves and plants are abun- 
dant, has taught tnem to be well skilled in discerning this 
subject; for example, there is hardly a farmer to be found 
who cannot tell, on seeing a cow that has ealen some 
buckeye loaf, that the cow is buckeyed.' ©AUSK OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
31 
2. Cases of sick cattle from the use of poisonous plants 
occur but rarely, for generally but those are apt to be 
poisoned that eat very hastily and never get enough. 
3. We have never heard of any plant that has been 
capable of imparting to the milk such a peculiar odor, as 
is observed in the milk of animals affected with the Trem- 
bles, Frequently the color, odor and taste of the milk of 
a healthy cow indicate sufficiently what kind of plants she 
has been mostly fed with ; but in Trembles, the taste and 
odor of the milk bears some considerable resemblance to 
that of Malaria. 
4. It will be difficult to show a plant that grows at all 
seasons of the year, even in the winter, and which pos- 
sesses the qualities required for the production of a dis- 
ease like Trembles. The few plants remaining in Octo. 
ber and November, or after the first frost, are too well 
known to be for a moment suspected as the cause of this 
terrible malady. 
5. I have compared all the plants which I found near 
Madison, on the spot that is well known to breed Trem- 
bles, with those that grow in a part where the Trembles 
never occur, and have not been able to discover the slight- 
est difference between them. 
6. Nature has endowed herbivorous animals with an 
instinct, by means of which they are enabled to avoid all 
those plants, the use of which would prove injurious t0 
them; it is hardly possible that so many animals should 
annually poison themselves in eating. 
7. Mr. Simpson, near Madison, states that he has 
fenced one acre of land, which was known to breed the 
Trembles ; he put in this lot three head of cattle, and they 
were all attacked by the disease ; three physicians repair- 
ed to the lot, examined every plant contained within it, 32 
CAUSE OF THEMBEES, OR MIRK-SICKNESS, 
and found none among them that could be called nox 
ious. 
8. The peculiar odor existing in the rooms of milk 
sick patients, has never been observed in persons poison- 
ed with any noxious vegetable. 
9, Mr. Walker Hawes’s statement is a very clear and 
forcible proof against the possibility of Trembles being 
occasioned by vegetable poison, for although' he did not 
plough the land, and therefore the plants remained still as 
they were, he put a stop to Trembles on his plantation, 
merely by deadening the timber; and instances of this 
kind are very numerous. 
10. We have undeniable evidences that there are pla. 
ces where Trembles have occurred frequently, and still in 
the same places, although a large number of cattle may 
visit there, net one of them is taken with the Trembles 
for one or twTo years, and the following season the disease 
may reappear in its full and unmitigated violence. The 
reason of this is obvious. Circumstances have, durintr 
7 O 
that period, not been favorable to the production of the 
peculiar malaria which causes Trembles, But if the 
cause were a noxious plants the disease would surely re- 
appear in the same place every season, without exception. 
The same is the case in New Orleans, where for one or 
two seasons there are none or very few cases of yellow 
fever, but in a succeeding season almost every one is seiz- 
ed by this disease. Prof. Drake, in his pamphlet, men- 
tions an instance of a Judge Harold, in Ohio, whose cat- 
tle were in a pasture for six years without any case of 
Trembles occurring among them, but in the seventh year 
a number of them were laboring under the disease. The 
next season he deadended the timber of this pasture, and 
turned again some cattle into it. The first year after 
deadening he lost but a few sheep, the second year still CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OH MILK-SICKNESS. 
33 
less, the third and following years there was not one of 
them affected with Trembles. This is another link in the 
chain of evidence that malaria is the cause of Trembles. 
For the deadening of timber prevents an annual putrefac- 
tion of the falling of leaves, which must be considered as 
quite an ingredient in malaria, and therefore the deaden, 
ing of timber alone will suffice, if not to stop the disease 
entirely at once, to lessen the cases in a surprising manner. 
11. Dr. Seaton has already satisfactorily shown, that the 
cause of Trembles is not to be ascribed to any vegetable 
poison. He even went so far as to state that the poison 
vine (Rhus toxicodendron) which has so long been sus- 
pected as the cause of Trembles, is on the contrary made 
use of by the farmers as a remedy against Trembles, with 
no slight success. 
But in addition to the testimony of Dr. Seaton, we know 
very well, that the poison vine grows in places and is eat- 
en by the cattle, where no cases of Trembles have ever 
occurred. 
12. The excellent works of Wood and Bache, U. S. 
Dispensatorium, and Dr. Tarrey and Gray’s Flora of 
North America, contain no account of any poisonous 
plant, possessing the qualities which the one, capable of 
producing Trembles, must necessarily be endowed with.. 
In Europe, where there are a great many poisonous plants 
growing in abundance, no Trembles have ever been heard 
of; but epizootic diseases occur there frequently, and the 
greatest degree of caution and vigilance alone is capable 
of preventing their spreading extensively. 
Having thus discussed the question whether Trembles 
are caused by some noxious plant or plants, I hope that 
none will hesitate to say, that plants have erroneously CATJSB OF TREMBLES, OR MiLK.-iJICK.NKSS. 
been suspicioned ; we will now proceed, and inquire what 
share mineral poison has in the production of Trembles 
and Milk-sickness. 
CHAPTER VI. 
1. Dr. Drake has already used very strong arguments, 
by which he refuted the doctrine that Trembles were 
caused by some mineral poison. I shall add to these, 
that in the neighborhood of Owensborough I found but 
very little mineral in the soil, and Mr. Combe proved to 
me that although his spring arises from a bed of stone 
coal, there is no mineral poison existing in it. 
2. Metals are found in spots where no Trembles 
occur; 
3. No physician has ever informed us that he has ob- 
served any such odor in the room where there is a person 
poisoned with mineral, as the one attending in the rooms 
of patients affected with Milk-sickness. 
4. The symptoms of animals attacked with Trembles, 
will, by every well informed farrier, be found to be those 
of epizootia, and not of poison. 
5. Poisons always operate very rapidly, but wTe know 
that Trembles sometimes continue for along time. 
6. Dr. Seaton is right, when he says that animals feed- 
ing upon clover are not so much subject to Trembles as 
those feeding upon any other grass. The reason, however, 
h« assigns for this, is false, when he says, that it is on 
account of their not receiving so much arsenic, inasmuch ©AUSS OP TREMBLES, OR MILK-31 GKIfKSS, 
as they do not drink much of the spring water containing 
this poison. The facts of the case are these ; Clover 
contains a great deal of watery substance, and quenches 
the thirst of animals feeding on it; it is also very cooling. 
The consequence is, that animals eating clover will not 
drink so much putrified, stagnant and fermenting water, 
as thosefeeding on some other substance, calculated to 
produce thirst instead of quenching it. 
7/T)r. Seaton is also wrong, when he says, that cows 
that are well salted do not go so much to the springs, and 
therefore receive less arsenic. Now every farrier and al- 
most every farmer knows, that salt purges gently, and 
dissolves, and thus proves a of impurities con. 
tained in the prima via ; but do know, that salt- ■ 
ing makes the animals drink more than they otherwise’** 
would have done. But I say, Let the shoemaker stick to 
his last. For the correctness of this, I refer the reader to 
any good work on veterinary practice. 
8. We know already, from the statement ofMr.Walker 
Hawes, that, since he deadened his timber some eight or 
ten years ago, he loses none of his cattle with the Trem- 
bles. Now, if the mineral poison causes Trembles, how 
does it come that, it being still there in the soil, and his 
cattle still grazing there, and still goingto the same spring 
for water, they are no longer subject to the Trembles ? 
Every thing is there as it was eight years ago, with the 
exception of an immense quantity of leaves that were 
annually falling and putrifying on the premises, and which 
process, we all know, originates malaria in no small 
deaffl*-*' 
is one of the most powerful mineral poisons. 
Who will be surprised, therefore, when Dr, Seaton says, 
that, in giving to three cows sixty grains of this mineral 36 
CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS' 
in one day, and twenty-four grains at a dose, two of them 
died in forty-eight hours after receiving the first dose, and 
one of them was very near dead. But he has proved no- 
thing else by this experiment, except, that arsenic is apt 
to kill cows-—a thing which every schoolboy knew be- 
fore ; inasmuch as the calves that were sucking the cows 
during the time of these experiments never felt the worse 
for it, and the hogs and dogs that ate the flesh of me dead 
cows were nothing the less incommoded after their 
meal. I would therefore take this opportunity to sa*y, 
that it would probably have been much better if Dr. Seaton 
had made the above experiments previously, instead of 
making them after bavin (he community by 
his arsenic pamphlet.^ 
Trembles occur where there are none or very few metals; 
and again; there are places where different kinds of 
metals are very abundant, and no Trembles. Moreover, 
HW«o*Laad»Bache have so amply described the symptoms 
of every mineral poison, that it will be an easy matter 
for any man of sound judgment to see that the Trembles 
are not caused by any mineral substance, when he com- 
pares the symptoms of this disease with those named in 
the above work. 
CHAPTER VII. 
Every person knows that Trembles are not caused by 
an animal poison. I have shown that they are not caused 
by vegetable of animal poison either. All that remains CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
37 
for me to do now, is to prove that the cause is contained 
in the atmosphere, to convince any candid minded person 
that nothing else can produce Trembles. 
Dr. Seaton says, in page 14 of his pamphlet; 
The theory that supposes the cause to be atmospheric, 
will receive a short notice again, and will then be dis- 
charged. We cannot suppose that situations, distin- 
guished by geological features before mentioned, and 
those alone, that would cause a disease with such fearful 
consequences. There is no peculiarity of aspect that 
should give to those districts such unrivalled precedence. 
And, notwithstanding those diseases do obtain in the 
milk-sick regions, which are admitted to be of miasmatic 
origin, yet they do not abound to a greater extent, than 
they do in very many localities where the milk-sickness 
is not known. Again ; milk-sickness very often obtains 
wherethe miasmatic diseases do not appear in a corres- 
ponding ratio ; as, in the dead of winter, the spring and 
early summer months, &c; &c. They differ in another 
essential feature, viz : during dry seasons the milk-sick- 
ness abounds most, uniformly, at all points, while it is 
generally the more low and marshy situations only that 
suffer with the different forms of malarious diseases at 
such times. In very wet seasons the milk-sickness occurs 
but rarely, while the higher lands suffer most from mias- 
matic ailments. Here is a distinction of manifest promi- 
nence, when we reflect, that milk-sickness is as much 
the plague of the high as of the low lands, as it shows 
itself in regions which are more or less broken and irre- 
gular. 
In complete corroboration of my views on this subject, 
it is stated by some,rthat, since the prevalence of milk- 
sickness, miasmalic diseases have been observed to 
decline in the districts where it abounds. 
In the first essay on the subject, this fact is mentioned 
as follows; 
It however prevails though not exclusively) in agueish 
situations ; and intermitting diseases are thought to have 
declined since its appearance, [Western Journal of 
Medical and Physical Sciences, Vol. iii. No. 4. p. 484. 38 
C.iUSK OF TRBMBLKS, OR MILK-SICKNESi. 
Let us see what Dr. Drake’s opinion is on this subject. 
In page 43 of his treatise on milk-sickness, he says : 
The principal facts and suggestions in support of the 
miasmatic hypothesis, are : 
1. The season of the year when it prevails, being the 
same with autumnal fever, which the argument assumes 
to be produced by some kind of malaria. 
2. The fact, affirmed by Dr. Baskerville, a zealous ad- 
vocate of this theory, and supported by Robert Turner, 
Enoch King, and several other respectable farmers, who 
cite their experience, that, if cattle be kept in pastures 
and yards at night, and not suffered to lie in the woods, 
they neither have the Trembles, nor by their milk excite 
the sick stomach. Whether all cattle and other animals,, 
if thus treated, would escape, cannot, of course, be 
known. That particular facts of this kind, have been 
correctly reported, we do not feel at liberty to doubt. It 
is certainly in harmony with the existing state of our 
knowledge, that, lying through the night on the damp 
ground in a deep forest, should favor the action of malaria. 
3. The places which originate the disease, are precisely 
such as we should expect to generate malaria. 
4. When they are converted into tilled land or mea- 
dow, the disease ceases. 
6. The soil of those places bears a striking resem- 
blance to that of the prairies, which are natural meadows, 
and which might perhaps be infested with the Trembles, 
but for some correcting influence of the natural grasses 
with which they abound. These facts and suggestions, 
seem at first view to give some plausibility to the mias- 
matic theory of Trembles; but formidable objections lie 
against it. The greater liability of cattle that remain in 
the woods at night, than of those which are kept in the 
open fields, even if it were established as, a general fact, 
which it is not, would not prove that the disease depended 
on malaria; for that kind of exposure might be only an 
exciting cause : nor would it explain the exemption of 
the milk-cow. The margins of streams and various other 
localities within the district, are infected with diseases 
which are ascribed to malaria, without generating lh© 
Trembles, CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
Finally, the plants which undergo decomposition in 
those receptacles, are of the same kinds, which are decay- 
ing in places, where the Trembles do not prevail; though, 
out of the same materials, placed under sirniliar circum- 
stances, the same gases ought to be found. We are, 
therefore, in the present state of our knowledge, obliged 
to regard the hypothesis as unsatisfactory. 
A modification of the miasmatic theory is that, which 
supposes the poison developed in the decay of the orga- 
nic matter, to be absorbed by the water, and drunk by 
the animals ; but this relates only to the mode of its intro- 
duction into their systems ; and after being liable to the 
objections just stated, is still further defective, in having 
no analogy to support it. 
1. We have already mentioned, that some physicians, 
who have had a good opportunity of observing milk-sick- 
ness, believe that disease to be nothing else than autum- 
nal fever attended with great irritability of the stomach ; 
and I have not the least doubt, but these gentlemen will 
be the first to agree with me in my views on Trembles : 
the same I dare say will be the case with those, who have 
found out by experience, that cattle are not apt to get 
Trembles if they are kept up at night and not suffered to 
be in the woods. 
Dr. Drake says, that those spots, which generate Trem- 
bles look very much like those, where considerable of ma- 
laria is formed. He is right in so saying, although he did 
not stay long enough in any of these places to become 
very familiar with all the local circumstances. 
3. At night an unpleasant and strong odor may be 
observed in the woods of Trembles districts. 
4. On the margins of the springs and small streams in 
those districts, a large quantity of mushrooms arise after 
every rain, and there the odor is most offensive. Dr. 
Drake is right, when he says, that, if such lands are tilled, 
the disease ceases; the reason of it is, that then there will 40 
cause of trembles, or milk-sickness. 
no longer be such a vast decay of organic matter at every 
season, and malaria in consequence will no longer be 
formed in dangerous abundance. 
5. The milk-cow is not exempted from the disease; 
only as long as she is relieved regularly of her milk by 
suckling or milking, the malaria is partly taken off from 
her in this manner, and as soon as this is no longer 
the case, all the symptoms of Trembles make their ap- 
pearance, if she returns to the woodland. 
6. The statement, that the same plants which undergo 
decomposition in places where Trembles are generated, 
are also decaying in other cases where this disease never 
occurs, is true, but it cannot be considered as an evidence 
against the malaria doctrine. For, although the decay of 
the same materials, placed under similar circumstances, 
will form the same gases, Dr.Diake has failed to examine 
whether the decay of these materials in the one place, is 
attended by similar circumstances to their decay in an- 
other. 
I say, that the nature of the gas or malaria thus formed 
depends altogether on the character of the soil, locality,, 
weather, &c. &c, in which the process of decomposition 
takes place; and thus we are enabled to account for the 
generation of Trembles in one place, and their absence 
in another, where a superficial glance at the local circum- 
stances would lead to the belief, that, if malaria is the 
cause of this disease, it ought surely to occur there fre- 
quently and violently. And thus it is that Trembles occur 
on one farm, when the adjoining one remains entirely 
free from this plague. 
7. It cannot be surprising, that malaria of malignant 
character should be generated in the forests of this coun- 
try, when we pause for a moment to reflect, what large CAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
41 
quantities of organic matter have been decomposed on 
the ground that we are now occupying; and even now 
the forests are, in some parts of the eountiy, so dense, 
that the vapors arising from the earth cannot ascend, and 
the influence of the sun, wind, snow, rain, &c. upon the 
soil cannot be fully exeicised. Moreover, a great part 
of the country, is level, and water of all descriptions 
abound. 
8. From the statement of Mr. Walker Hawes and 
other respectable farmers, we learn that, since he has 
deadened the timber on his land, no case of Trembles 
has occurred there. Now, the minerals and plants that 
were there when he lost all his cattle, are still there ; only 
by deadening the timber he stopped the annual process 
of putrefaction of leaves, cj'-c., and procured a free outlet 
to the vapors of the soil. The influence of the sun, &c., 
upon the soil, can now operate efficiently : it purifies and 
corrects the character of the ground. 
9. The opinion prevails in some districts, that persons 
may become milk-sick, without having used either milk 
or meat of an animal affected with Trembles ; and even 
the physicians in the neighborhood of Owensborough 
assert, that milk-sickness is nothing else than a miasma- 
tic fever, and call it congestive fever, or bilious puking. 
They seem to have become convinced from the symp- 
toms, attending milk-sickness that the disease cannot be 
any other than a miasmatic one, and they are perfectly 
right in this matter; milk-sickness being the offspring of 
Trembles, must of course have some of the blood of its 
sire ; and we know, from all circumstances combined, 
that miasma produces Trembles- But those who assert, 
that milk-sickness may attack a person that has not made 
use of the milk or flesh of an animal laboring under CAUSE OP TREMBLES, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
Trembles, are most assuredly mistaken. Upon closer 
observation, they will not fail to become convinced of 
their error. 
10. There are various kinds of malaria; according to 
the circumstances, under which it was formed, it posses- 
ses qualities of one kind or of another. Thus it is, that 
malaria in one part of the country originates yellow fever, 
and in another intermittent fever. 
Again; one kind of malaria has the power to exercise its 
noxious influence upon several species of animals, another 
affects only one species or may be two of them, while 
another kind still affects man only, or animals only, or 
maybe both of them. We know, beyond a cavil or doubt, 
that each one of the contagious miasmas, possesses pecu- 
liar qualities, for. 
The one produces Yellow fever; 
The second Congestive fever ; 
The third Intermittent fever ; 
The fourth Small Pox, &c. &c.; 
and, among animals, we see miasma alternately produce 
Pettis bourn, Febres ataxo adynamica, Variolas, Yaccinse, 
Tutorise, &c. &c. 
In the present state of our knowledge, it would be ab. 
surd, for any one to assert that this difference of dis- 
eases depends merely on peculiarity of constitution or 
predisposition of individuals, and not on some essential 
and specific modification of the miasma. 1 say now, with- 
out fear of successful contradiction, that, from local cir- 
cumstances existing in Trembles districts, the miasma 
there receives an additional and specific quality, by means 
of which it generates Trembles, when perhaps but a short 
distance from such a spot, the miasma is lacking this 
peculiar quality, and therefore produces some other mias- 
malic disease. Again ; (his contagious raiasrna sometimes 6AUSE OF TREMBLES, OK WILK-SIGKNESS, 
43 
affects only those animals, which Lare predisposed to 
■eceive it; but when it is developed abundantly, it seizes 
ill the cattle, horses and sheep that come within its reachr 
Mules, on account of the smaller degree of susceptibility, 
are more rarely affected with Trembles. The same con- 
tagium may also produce different diseases in different 
individuals or in different species; thus it is, that several 
epidemics may prevail at the same place and time. From 
all this it will be seen, that the position assumed by Dr. 
Seaton, when he says, that no Trembles occur in those 
places, where miasmatic diseases prevail, and vice versa, 
proves nothing; for the definition of malaria teaches us, 
that the miasmatic diseases of men, and the Trembles of 
animals are entirely independant and different from each 
other; and that the malaria of the one is not capable of 
producing the same disease as that generated by the other. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
By analogy we have become convinced that Trembles 
are an epizootic malady; and by comparing their symp- 
toms with those of joint murrain, or blood murrain, accor- 
dingto Dr Dietrich’s excellent work, we have proved that 
Trembles belong to the Anthrax family ; we have further 
riven ample proof, that Trembles are caused, neither by a 
vegetable nor a mineral poison, but on the contrary by 
epizootic or miasmatic impurities, and therefore leave this 
portion of our task, with the assurance that it will not 
long, before all, that are interested in this matter, 44 
CAUSE OF TREMBLESj OR MILK-SICKNESS 
cheerfully agree, that our opinion is based upon truth and 
fact. Before I progress any further, I will here say a few 
words about the manner in which my theory of Trembles 
has to be tested. The Legislatures of several states, in 
which Trembles or milk-sickness prevails, have offered 
certain sums as a reward to the man, who would discover 
the cause of the disease, and convince the committee, 
charged with this matter, that the cause he alleges, and 
no other, can produce this disease. It has been a general 
opinion, that Trembles and milk-sickness are originated 
by a specific vegetable or mineral poison ; thus it comes, 
that a great many persons believe, that if the true cause 
were found out, the disease might at a moment’s warning 
be called into existence by the discoverer, and in this, 
they thought, consists the proof of the correctness of a 
theory. But such is not the case : malaria cannot be bot- 
tied up and administered by us in doses agieeably to our 
pleasures. ' There are two different ways, by which to test 
the truth of any given theory; the one is positive, the other 
is negative, Suppose there are four silver dollars placed 
before you, and you are told that there is one among them 
which is counterfeit; There are two different manners 
by which you may discover which one is the 
The positive would be to resort to chemical analysis ; the 
negative, to examine one after another carefully. Compare 
them with one that you know to be genuine and if by so 
doing you have convinced yourself, that three of them are 
genuine, you would not dare to doubt, that the one re- 
maining, is the counterfeit. 
Either one of the tests, it will be perceived, cannot fail 
to lead to the discovery of the object searched for. I have 
already given negative proof, and the plan of prevention 
which I am now going to give will be the positive proof. tUUSB OP TREMBLES, OR MlLfi.-SICK.KESS. 
45 
CHAPTER IX. 
In some of the preceding chapters, it has already been 
observed, (hat it is easier and safer to avoid epidemic 
diseases than to euro them. 
The plan of prevention, which lam now going to lay 
before the reader,, will no' doubt prove efficacious ; and I 
hope that every farmer, who has been visited by so un- 
welcome a guest as Tremble, will at once adopt it, and 
thus guard the avenues of his premises against a repetition 
of his visits. 
Drake says, in vol. iv. No. v. p. 370 of the Wes- 
tern Medical Journal, that, when the cause of Trembles 
is discovered, the axe and plough will prove to be the 
only means by which the progress of the disease can 
be stopped. 
This assertion is based upon experience ; but we know, 
from the statement of Mr. Walker Hawes and others, 
that the axe alone is sufficient to arrest the Trembles in 
a short time. However, farmers would do well to pro- 
ceed as follows : 
First. All the trees that can be dispensed with, ought 
to be cut down and burned ; so as to prevent their decay- 
ing in the place, and thus produce noxious malaria. 
Second. Others that are wanted ought to be deadened. 
Third. The buckeye, burr-oak, black-walnut, and 
maples ought to be cut down, principally, because their 
leaves do more damage than those of others. 
Fourth. In low and marshy places, all the trees with- 
out distinction ought to be cut down and burnt or dead- 
ened. 
Fifth. In dry weather, fire ought to be set to the leaves 
and wood lying about in the forest. 
Sixth. Dead animals ought to be buried immediately, 
and not suffered to impregnate the air with putrefaction, 
or to be eaten by hogs and dogs. G.iUSE OF TKBMBLKS, OR MILK-SICKNESS. 
Seventh. Farmers ought to salt their stock every day 
regularly; for the salt cools, dissolves, and opens their 
bowels, and thus frequently removes the causes of some 
diseases. 
Eighth. In districts where Trembles prevail, and 
during the sickly season, the milk-cow ought to be kept 
in a fenced lot, in which the timber has partly been dead- 
ened or cut down. 
Ninth. The springs ought to be kept clean, and an out- 
let for the water ought to be made: this wall prevent the 
water from overflowfng the ground in the vicinity of the 
spring. 
'Tenth. Ponds must be fenced in, or the water drained 
off, if possible. 
Eleventh. Animals that are kept up where they cannot 
procure themselves water, must be watered regularly; and 
for this purpose a trough is best, set in the place where 
they are, and filled with good water. 
Twelfth. During the hot season, animals ought to be 
baihed; and where this cannot be done, they ought, from 
time to time, to be sprinkled with fresh water. 
Thirteenth. Eveiy animal ought, once in a month, to 
be purged with glauber salts. 
Fourteenth. Animals must not be suffered to go to 
places that have recently been overflowed, or where there 
is a good deal of stagnant water. 
Fifteenth. When there are meal or honey dews falling, 
animals must be kept under fence. 
Sixteenth. Animals ought not to be permitted to lie 
out during the night, but kept in stables or under fence, 
from sundown until next morning. 
Seventeenth. It is of great advantage, if animals, in 
the hot season, are kept in shady places, and not exposed 
to the rays of the sun. 
Eighteenth. Cows ought to be bled at least once every 
summer. 
If farmers will adopt this plan, I feel assured, that, in 
a short time from now, Trembles will range among the 
things that were. And, not only will this method of 
proceeding exercise its influence upon this dis- 
ease, but also upon a great many others, with which the 
people of this country are afflicted. CAUSE OF TREMBLES; OK MILK-SICKS ESS. 
CHAPTER X. 
Although the preceding chapter has pointed out a 
method by which the occurrence of Trembles can be 
prevented, I deem it necessary, before I Conclude, to 
give some directions as to the most efficient treatment of 
animals affected with this malady. Being well aware, 
that it wflll take some time before the farmers are enabled 
to remove all the causes which are liable to encourage 
the generation of Trembles, and thereby banish the dis- 
ease for ever, I flatter myself, in laying before the public 
a plan of treatment, which my experience has taught me 
to be the. most successful, 1 shall enhance the usefulness 
of rny work, and thus accomplish the purpose I had in 
view when I began my present undertaking. 
Every farmer ought to procure a large syringe, capable 
of containing at least one quart of fluid, the tube of which 
is to be six inches in length. 
Furthermore, an instrument for bleeding, and one 
seton needle. 
It is of the greatest importance, that medical assis- 
tance ought to be rendered in as short a time after animals 
have been attacked by the disease as is possible ; for 
upon this depends, in no small degree, the success of the 
treatment. 
A stout and fat animal must be bled to the extent of 
two gallons as soon as symptoms of the disease have been 
perceived. Smaller animals of course will not require 
such extensive blood-letting. After the bleeding, two 
pounds of glauber Salts ought to be given to the large and 
stout animals, but younger and smaller ones receive a less 
quantity of this article. The dose is to be repeated six 
hours afterwards. In the interval, an injection of soap- 
water and common salt is to be administered every half 
hour. If glauber salts is not to be had, poke root may 
be used as a substitute. An ounce of the root is generally 
sufficient to move the bowels. It is cut into very fine 
slices and mixed with a roasted apple. The person ad- 
ministering the remedy, pulls the tongue of the animal 
with one hand, and with the other he introduces the mix- 
ture as far back into the mouth as he can, and by letting 48 
SAUSE OF TREMBLES, OR MILk-SICKNESS. 
the tongue go loose quickly, the animal is forced to swal- 
low. 
If the disease occurs during hot weather, the washing 
with cold water is very useful. The great object how- 
ever is, to open the bowels freely. Diseased animals 
ought to be fed on clover, grass, and freely watered; corn, 
oats and hay they ought not to receive until entirely 
recovered. 
A rowel of six inches long must be applied to the an- 
terior portion of the chest. If 24 hours after the ope- 
ration, the parts surrounding the rowel begin to swell, it 
maybe considered as an indication that the animal will 
recover; if the bowels are moved freely, there is no lon- 
ger any doubt as to the success of the treatment. How- 
ever, the green food is to be continued for about eight 
days longer ; and, in addition to this, the administration 
of linseed-oil from time to time will assist the convales- 
cence of the animal considerably. But if, twenty-four 
hours after the operation, no swelling takes place, and 
the bowels have not been moved, the injections are to be 
administered once every quarter of an hour; and one 
pound of glauber salts every two hours. If, notwithstand- 
all this, the bowels cannot be made to act, the patient 
generally dies in a short time. If a relapse of the dis- 
ease occurs, the same treatment has to be renewed. 
If an animal, after recovering from this disease, re- 
mains for some time weak, and shows but little appetite, 
the administration of wormwood, angelica, and gentian 
root is recommended. Of these latter remedies a small 
quantity may be mixed with the food three times daily. 
The rowel ought to be taken off, and frequently washed 
with fresh water, to heal it, I may add, that, after the 
bowels have been moved, the exhibition of muriatic or 
sulphuric acid has, in many instances, been attended 
with very desirable results. 
These remedies may be administered eight to ten rimes 
a day, in doses of one ounce, diluted in one quart of 
water. Wherever these remedies have been used, they 
have been found so efficient, that I would advise farmers, 
living in Trembles districts, to keep them constantly on 
hand. 
FINIS.