Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 139, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1917 — Grass Kills Cattle In Benton County. [ARTICLE]

Grass Kills Cattle In Benton County.

Benton Review. Four head of cattle belonging to Earl Atkinson, of Pine township, died under peculiar circumstances two weeks ago and for a itme it was thought by many that they had been poisoned by German agents but later developments proved this theory incorrect. The herd of cattle were in a pasture at the Atkinson home and thirteen head became suddenly afflicted with poisoning of some sort and in less than 24 hours four head died The cattle, would go blind and run around in (fircles and if anything happened to be in their path they would run into it. These peculiar actions would be kept up until they died. Veterinarians were called but were unable to diagnose the trouble. The stomach of one of the cattle was sent to Purdue, where it was found the disease was caused from certain conditions of the grass in the pasture and pronounced hemorrhage septicaemia. After the cattle were transferred to another field no more died and it is thought the ones afflicted will recover. Earl Atkinson, the owner, was on a trip to Colorado and was called home.