LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS. 11 



A striking feature about these rabbits is that in some cases while 

 the (lose was not sufficient to kill inuiiediately they frradually lost 

 in weight, probably a direct result of the irritation of the gastro- 

 intestinal tract. This condition may find its parallel in stock re- 

 moved from a Delphinium area. Knowles" and Wilcox'^ have 

 claimed that the inhalation of a few drops of annnonia and the hypo- 

 dermic injection of atropin.^Vto ^ gram (1 mg. to 15 mg.) for sheep, 

 or 1 gram ((iO mg.) for cattle, is the most effective medicinal treat- 

 ment. Elimination by purgatives and diuretics may aid. If pos- 

 sible, absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract should l)e hindered, 

 perhaps by lard, but the real treatment is preventive. 



One member of the genus Delphinium, D. staph tmfjria, has been 

 studied carefully, and a number of bases (delphinin, delphinoidin, 

 staphisagrin) isolated, but much is still to be desired in the way of 

 exact knowledge concerning these bodies.*" Delphinin has a local irri- 

 tative action. Its systemic action is mainly paralytic on the heart and 

 respiration, and resembles that of aconitin in many respects.'' Post- 

 mortem examinations in poisoning by mouth with this body showed 

 marked reddening of the stomach. In a number of Van Praag's 

 experiments with feeding solutions of Delphinium a marked increase 

 in urinary secretion was noted. <■ Delphinium ronsolida has also re- 

 ceived some attention chemically.^ while D. leroyi, D. peregrininn, 

 and />. mdiiritanicuiit have been shown to produce poisoning 

 experimentally.^ 



Recently Delphinium Incolor. D. menziesii, D. nehonii^ and D. 

 seopulorum staehydeiim have been found to yield an alkaloid, delpho- 

 curarin,'' which has been introduced as a substitute for curare in 



a Knowles, M. E. Larkspur Poisoniug in Sbeep and Cattle. New York Med. 

 •Jour., vol. OC., p. 271. 1897. 



& Wilcox, E. v. Larkspur Poisoning of Sbeep, p. 4.'). 



f" Dragendorff and Manpiis. Ueber d. Alkaloide des Deli)biniunis stapbis- 

 agria. Arcb. f. Exp. Patb. u. Pbarniakol.. vol. 7, p. .">.5. 1877. 



Kara-Stojaiow, C. Ueber d. Alkaloide d. Delpbiniuiu stapbisagria. Pbarm. 

 Zeits. f. Russland, 1890, vol. 29. pp. 028, 641, 657, 67.S, 689, 70.1. 721. 



(iTaniburini. N.. and Leone, A. Azoine fisiol. della Delfinina. (Wov. Interna^, 

 d. Sci. Med., n. s.. vol. .3, p. 985. 1881. 



Orfila, M. Traite de toxicologie, 5 ed., vol. 2, p. 1.38. 1852. 



eVan Praag, J. L. Delpbinin. Arcb. f. Patb. Anat. vol. 6, p. 4.39. 18.54. 

 Sereck. .J. Beitr. z. Kennt. d. Delpbinins. Dorpat Diss. 1874. 



Darbel. A. Recberob. Cbini. et pbysiol. sur les alealoides du Delpbiniuui 

 stapbisagria. Montpellier. Tbese. 1864. 



f Masing, E. Ueber d. Alkaloid d. Feldrittersporns. D. consolida. Pbarm. 

 Zeits. f. Russland. vol. 22. p. 33. 1883. 



f/ Rocbebrnne, A. T. de. Toxicol. Africane, vol. 1. pp. 1.52, 101, .353. 1890. 



ft Feinde der Haustiere und ibre giftige Principen (Delpbocurarin). Pbarm. 

 Ceutr., vol. 44, p. 913. 1903. 

 lll-i 



