VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 391 



species in common to a number of different cows. Some species when 

 once in a particular teat tend to occupy it with considerable persist- 

 ency. The species able to multiply within the milk passages appear 

 for the most part to be of the lactic acid producing type. 



An investigation of the growth of germs of typhoid fever in milk, 

 butter, and other food products is also briefly noted. The injection of 

 cultures of typhoid germs in butter into the abdominal cavity of guinea 

 pigs resulted in death with typical symptons and post-mortem charac- 

 teristics of typhoid. 



Larkspur poisoning of sheep, E. V. Wilcox (Montana Sta. Bui. 

 15, pp. 37-51, pis. 3). — Losses of stock by eating poisonous plants have 

 been reported for many years in Montana. Such losses have been most 

 frequent daring May and June, but have been noted at other seasons. 

 The poisoning has been attributed to various plants. The author inves- 

 tigated widespread cases of sheep poisoning, which occurred in May, 

 1897. About 2,000 yearling lambs were moved to a new grazing region 

 and almost immediately several of the sheep were taken sick. In a few 

 days the sickness became widespread and the mortality was very great. 

 From post-mortem examination it was evident that death was due to 

 asphyxia or oxygen starvation, as the result of some sedative poison 

 which had paralyzed the respiratory centers of the nervous system and 

 prevented the proper action of the lungs in the purification of the blood. 

 In the stomach contents were found the leaves and roots of a species of 

 larkspur (Delphinium menziesii). The plant was found to occur plenti- 

 fully in certain portions of the range. It was confined to the banks of 

 streams and was not found on the higher ground. It was noticed that 

 the poisoning occurred after the sheep had been feeding along streams 

 where the larkspur was abundant. 



"The symptoms shown hy sheep poisoned by larkspur have a general resemblance 

 to those of aconite poisoning, but are somewhat different in several particulars. The 

 first signs of the poisoning are a slight general stiffness and a straddling gait, espe- 

 cially of the hind legs. The stiffness becomes more and more pronounced until walk- 

 ing is quite difficult and evidently painful. Soon there are manifested various invol- 

 untary twitchings of th« muscles of the legs and sides of the body. There is a loss 

 of control or co-ordination of the muscles. There is ordinarily no increase in the 

 quantity of the saliva, no dribbling of saliva from the mouth, no champing of the 

 jaws or attempts at swallowing. The sheep manifest none of the mental disturb- 

 ances frequently seen in cases of poisoning from other sources, as, for example, loco 

 weed and lupine. There is no impairment of the special senses. The sheep seem to 

 hear and see as well and as correctly as under normal conditions of health. 



"No indications of any disturbances of the digestive functions are to be seen. The 

 appetite remains good, and the sheen eat up to the very last. They were observed 

 eating industriously during the intervals between the attacks of spasms which they 

 have during the last stages. 



"At first the frequency of the pulse and of the respiratory movements is lessened 

 and the temperature is lowered. The pulse remains very weak, but in the later 

 stages becomes very rapid, in some cases 130 per minute. Toward the last, also, the 

 respiration is very shallow and rapid. During the final convulsions the respiration 

 is sometimes 120 per minute, but so shallow that the air is simply pumped up and 



