86 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



He concludes that the curative substance is contained in the body of the 

 bacillus itself. The tuberculous process always begins by forming miliary 

 tubercles and goes over to pus formation, then the tubercle is resorbed and is 

 finally converted into scar tissue. As neither the filtrate from tubercle bacilli, 

 bacilli killed by heat, old tuberculin, pure tuberculin, tubercle bacilli minus 

 tuberculin, tubercle bacilli minus chloroform or xylol extract, bacterial sub- 

 stances soluble in potassium hydrate, nor extracts in a 0.7 per cent sodium 

 chlorid solution stimulate tuberculosis to healing, it is very probable that the 

 proper course for future experimentation lies in the way of using the absolutely 

 dry, ground bacilli with the proper therapeutical precautions and iu doses not to 

 produce a febrile reaction. 



A large bibliography is appended. 



Poisoning by plants and plant substances, F. Kanngiessee (Vergiftungen 

 durch Pflanzeii und Pflanzenstoffe, Eiii Gtrundriss der Vcgetalen Toxikologie 

 fur praktische Aerste, Apotlieker und Botaniker. J.ena, 1910, pp. 49; rev. in 

 Zenthl. Physiol., 25 (1911), No. 2, pp. 65, 66). — This book contains a description 

 of the symptoms of poisoning, the use of the stomach tube, emetics, and kin- 

 dred therapeutical measures. Its contents include general vegetable toxicology, 

 and poisoning by herbs, berries, etc., fungi, cereals, condiments and narcotics, 

 plant drugs, and plants which irritate the skin and mucus membrane. 



Are flaxseed screening's poisonous to stock? E. F. Ladd and Axma K. 

 Johnson (North Dakota 8ta. Spec. Bui. 31, pp. 316, 317). — The author here 

 quotes from 4 letters regarding the loss of animals thi'ough the consumption of 

 flaxseed screenings. In 1 herd of 19 all died, while in a second of 10, 5 died. 



Flaxseed screenings poisonous, E. F. Ladd and At.ma K. Johnson (North 

 Dakota Sta. Spec. BnJ. 35, p. 393). — ^Analyses made of several samples of flax- 

 seed screenings showed clearly the presence of a compound easily bi'oken down 

 into hydrocyanic acid. In the samples used in the feeding experiments noted 

 below, 0.2169 gm. hydrocyanic acid for each pound of screenings was found 

 in the first case and 0.408 gm. hydrocyanic acid in the last. In 1911 immature 

 seed bolls of flax were also analyzed and in each pound was found 0.7726 gm. of 

 hydrocyanic acid. 



Experiments upon flax screenings, J. W. Ince (North Dakota Sta. Spec. 

 Bui. 35, pp. 393-396). — Examinations made of samples of flax screenings re- 

 ported to have caused the death of cattle and sheep showed the presence of a 

 varied number and kind of weed seeds, but none of a poisonous character. In 

 some samples there were more or less oats, wheat, and flax, the latter being 

 partly good and partly broken or frosted. Chemical analysis failed to demon- 

 strate the presence of an alkaloid but showed hydrocyanic acid to be present. 



Feeding experiments with a healthy, 2-year-old heifer were conducted in 

 cooperation with the veterinary department. The animal having been well fed 

 prior to the experiment would not eat the screenings so was fed by force from a 

 bottle with material extracted with water which had been acidulated with tar- 

 taric acid. An equivalent of 4^ lbs. of the original screenings given on May 18 

 resulted in toxic symptoms, from which she recovered, as was the case with a 

 second feeding on May 22 of an equivalent of 4 lbs. of the original material. A 

 third feeding on May 26 of an equivalent of 12 lbs. of the samples resulted in 

 the death of the animal in 92 minutes. 



Quantitative determinations showed that 0.95S3, 0.10736, and 4.892 gm. of 

 hydrocyanic acid, respectively, were fed to the animal. Thus it is clearly evi- 

 dent that flaxseed screenings may contain hydrocyanic acid in sufficient quanti- 

 ties to cause the death of animals, even when the screenings are fed in moderate 

 quantity. 



