Citation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 1956; 5(34): 2.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1956, (in public domain), Publisher U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Iowa State Department of Health has reported a fatal case of silage gas poisoning in a boy who climbed into a silo that had been filled the night before with grass silage containing some alfalfa. The report states that "silo-filler's disease" also has been observed in Missouri and Minnesota. Drought and high nitrogen fertilization resulting in forage with a high nitrogen content are suspected as having a bearing on the formation of an oxide of nitrogen. This gas is odorless and colorless in low concentrations but is brownish yellow and irritating and lethal in high concentrations. It is said to have killed livestock and small animals in the vicinity of silos recently filled. High concentrations of carbon dioxide may also be found in recently filled silos.