1918.] VETEEINARY MEDICINE. 685 



tube were then filtered and treated successively with dilute acetic acid, ammo- 

 uium hydroxid, and a saturated solution of ammonium sulphate, filtering after 

 the addition of each reagent. The final filtrate was tested with 0.2 cc. of 1 per 

 cent solution of triketohydrinden hydrate. 



Eupatorium urticaefolium as a poisonous plant, C. D. Maksh and A. B. 

 Clawson (U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 11 (1917), No. IS, pp. 699- 

 715, pis. //). — The authors here report upon feeding experiments in Illinois 

 and at Washington, D. C, with the plant commonly called snakeroot and also 

 known as rich weed. 



The results substantiate those obtained by Curtis and Wolf (B. S. 11., 37, 

 p. 583), and show conclusively that it is toxic for cattle and sheep as well as 

 other animals, producing a definite line of symptoms bearing close resemblance 

 to those characteristic of the disease known as milk sickness, trembles, etc. 

 The authors conclude that probably many, possibly most, cases of trembles In 

 cattle and sheep are due to poisoning by this plant. It is stated, however, that 

 under the term " milk sickness " or " trembles " are probably grouped at least 

 two distinct affections, one poisoning by E. urticwfoliutn and the other a 

 bacterial disease. 



A list of 14 references to the literature is included. 



Gossypol, the toxic substance in cotton seed, W. A. Withers and F. E. 

 Cakkuth (C7. S. Dept. Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 12 (1918), No. 2, pp. 83-102, 

 pi. 1, figs. 3). — In continuation of investigations previously reported (E. S. R., 

 34, p. SSI) the authors present the results of comparative experiments with an 

 isolated and purified gossypol fed to various animals. The results have led to 

 the following summary : 



" Raw cottonseed kernels contain about 0.6 per cent of gossypol and are 

 highly toxic to rats. Ether extraction renders the material nontoxic and gives 

 a highly toxic extract containing about 2 per cent of gossypol. Gossypol fed in 

 milk diets in amounts equivalent to those contained in the raw cottonseed diets 

 has proved as toxic as raw cottonseed. Gossypol may be quantitatively 

 removed from the ether extract by precipitation as its insoluble anilin com- 

 pound. The extract is thus rendered nontoxic to rats. The insoluble anilin 

 compound of gossypol is not toxic because of its insolubility. Gossypol pre- 

 pared from this compound possesses its original toxic properties. 



" Cottonseed meal is much less toxic than raw cotton seed, owing mainly to 

 the oxidation of gossypol during cooking. Cottonseed meal, ether-extracted 

 cotton seed, and gossypol have been fed to small pigs in pens under comparable 

 conditions. Cottonseed meal has been found definitely injurious, while the 

 ether-extracted raw seed does not appear to cause cottonseed-meal poisoning. 

 Gossypol has been found toxic to pigs. 



" If the presence of an injurious substance in tlie meal is disregarded, a diet 

 of cottonseed meal and corn meal has nutritive lijnitations which may, under 

 restricted conditions of living, lead to failure of pigs to thrive. Such failure 

 is a phenomenon distinct from cottonseed-meal poisoning. 



" Outdoor exercise, access to forage and soil, and improved diets tend to 

 postpone or avert cottonseed-meal poisoning of swine. The deficiency hypothe- 

 sis that cottonseed-meal poisoning of swine is similar to beriberi is untenable." 



A list of 19 references to the literature cited is appended. 



The solvent action of antiseptics on necrotic tissue, H. D. Taylob and 

 J. H. Austin (Jour. Expt. Med., 27 (1018), No. 1, pp. 155-16Jf, pi. i).— The 

 solvent action of Dakin's solution on necrotic tissues was compared with that of 

 other chlorinated antiseptics, including chloramin-T, dichloramin-T, and chlor- 

 inated paraffin oil and eucalyptol, by adding 50 cc. of each solution to 5 cc. 

 of an emulsion of macerated liver tissue, shaking the mixture thoroughly 



