8 THE LAEKSPUES AS POISONOUS PLANTS. 



be attractive, so that there is less clanger of poisoning." although 

 Chesnnt and Wilcox report a death in cattle from eating Delphinium 

 glaucum in September.'' The great danger early in the season seems 

 to arise from the fact that the Delphinium appears early in the 

 spring, and the ground may again be covered with snow, so that it is 

 the only green plant in sight, and therefore when in an especially 

 poisonous stage it is eaten by cattle. 



A rabbit weighing 2,409.06 grams was fed January 28, 1907, with 

 a concentrated aqueous extract corresponding to 16.6G grams of the 

 dried plant in the second stage. Xo symptoms resulted. On Janu- 

 ary 30 the animal weighed 2,377.15 grams. 



On January 28, 1907, a second rabbit, weighing 1,658.35 grams, was 

 fed with a similar extract of 33.33 grams, but no symptoms resulted. 

 Two days later the animal still Aveighed 1,658.35 grams. 



On February 1, 1907, the first rabbit was fed an aqueous extract of 

 80 fframs, and it died in 53 minutes with convulsions. Previous to 

 death, paralysis of the voluntary muscles was well marked. The 

 stomach of this animal Avas markedly reddened. 



A rabbit weighing l,984:.-l:l grams on February 6, 1907, was starved 

 24 hours and then fed an extract of 50 grams of the same plant at 

 9.45 a. m. At 11.50 a. m. the animal was dull and was lying with 

 its chin resting on the floor; at 12.25, legs paralyzed ; 3.04, the animal 

 uriiiated, chin still resting on the floor; 3.57, the animal could push 

 itself around with hind legs. The following day the rabbit appeared 

 normal. On February 11 it weighed 1,899.39 grams; February 12, 

 1,956.07 grams; February 13, 2,012.75 grams; March 11, 1,984.41 

 grams. 



On February 13, 1907, a well-fed rabbit, weighing 2,097.77 grams, 

 which had been in the laboratory for some time, was fed by stomach 

 tube an aqueous extract of 50 grams of the same plant. This animal 

 was observed continuously for 6 hours and appeared perhaps only 

 slightly duller. He ate during the night, and weighed 2,119.94 grams 

 on February 14. During the night no stools were passed. On Febru- 

 ary 16 this rabbit weighed 1,970.24 and on February 21, 2,012.75 

 grams. 



The urine passed the first 24 hours after feeding was alkaline. 

 Some of this was shaken with chloroform and on evaporation was 

 taken in acid water. On evaporating oil the acid, the watery solution 

 was injected subcutaneously into a guinea pig weighing 467.76 grams, 

 but produced no symptoms. The urine secreted in the following 24 



a Wilcox. E. V. Plant Poisoning of Stock in INIontnna. Y. S. Dept. Agr.. Bur. 

 Animal Ind.. ITtli Ann. Kept.. 1000. p. 9(5. 



& Chesnut. V. K.. and Wilcox. E. V. Stock-Poisoning Plants of Montana, p. 07. 



lll-i 



