THE LAKKSPUKS AS POISONOUS PLANTS. 1 1 



A strikinff featuiv al)()iit these i-abhits is that in some cases while 

 the dose was not sufficient to kill immediately they gradually lost 

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

 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 anunonia and the hypo- 

 dermic injection of atropin.^V^o \ ?ram (1 mg. to 15 mg.) for sheep, 

 or 1 frram ((')0 mf;. ) for cattle, is the most effective medicinal treat- 

 ment. Elimination by purgatives and diuretics may aid. If i)os- 

 sible, absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract should be hindered, 

 perhaps by lard, but the real treatment is preventive. 



One member of the genus Deli)hinium, D. staphisagna, has been 

 studied carefully, and a number of bases (delphiniu. delphinoidin, 

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

 exact knowledge concerning these l)odies.^ 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 urinar}' secretion was noted.'" Delphinium consolida has also re- 

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

 and />. mauritanicum have been shown to produce poisoning 

 experimentally.^ 



Recently Delphinium hicolor. D. menzieaii. D. nehonii, and D. 

 scopulorum stachydenm have been found to yield an alkaloid, delpho- 

 curarin," wdiich has been introduced as a substitute for curare in 



oKnowles, M. E. Larkspur Poisoning in Sheep and Cattle. New Yoflc Med. 

 Jour., vol. (!(>. p. 271. 1897. 



6 Wilcox, E. V. Larkspur Poisoning of Sheep, p. 45. 



cDragendorff and Marquis. Ueber d. Alkaloide des Delphiniums staphis- 

 agrla. Arc-h. f. Exp. Path. u. Pharniakol.. vol. 7, p. iST^ 1S77. 



Kara-Stojaiow. C. Ueber d. Alkaloide d. Delphinium staphisagria. I'harui. 

 Zeits. f. Pvussland. 1890, vol. 20. pp. 628, 641, 657, 67.3, 689, 705. 721. 



<* Taniburlni. N.. and Leone. A. Azoine fisiol. della Delfinina. Gior. Internaz. 

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



'Orfila, M. Traite de toxicologie, 5 ed., vol. 2, p. 138. 1852. 



e Van Praag, .J. L. Delphinin. Arch. f. Path. Anat.. vol. 6. p. 439. 1854. 

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



Darbel. A. Recherch. Chim. et physiol. sur les alcaloides du Delphinium 

 staphisagria. Montpellier. These. 1864. 



f Masing. E. Ueber d. Alkaloid d. Feldrittersporns. D. consolida. Pharm. 

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



sRoohebrune. A. T. de. Toxicol. Africane, vol. 1, pp. 152, 161. .353. 1896. 



ft Feinde der Haustiere und ihre giftige Priucipen (Delphocurarin). Pharm. 

 Centr., vol. 44, p. 913. 1903. 

 lll-i 



