892 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



or 78 per cent; 3 cases were suspicious; 85 per cent of 104 cows, two- 

 year old or over, reacted; 75 per cent of 16 oue to two year old 

 heifers, and 52 per cent out of 25 calves less than a year old. The 

 Ayrshire cows in the herd contained a larger proportion of diseased 

 animals than the pure-bred domestic breeds, Telemark and Gudbrands- 

 dal, or the crosses. — f. w. woll. 



A plant that poisons cattle, U. P. Hedrick (Oregon Sta. Bui. 40, 

 pp. 12, pis. i). — Cicuta vagans, which grows in the low pasture lands of 

 Oregon, lias been found to poison cattle in late winter and early spring. 

 According to the author not less than 100 cattle in various parts of the 

 State were poisoned last spring by this plant. 



In an experiment in which the bulb was cut into small pieces and 

 fed, along with carrots cut in the same way, to a 2-year-old heifer at 

 8 o'clock a. m., death resulted li hours later. Upon post-mortem exam- 

 ination, pieces of the root were found in the rumen and in the second 

 stomach. The lungs were highly congested, but otherwise nothing 

 abnormal was noted. On the following day an experiment with a calf 

 was made at 9.15 a. m., and an attempt made to counteract the effects 

 of the poison by giving an ounce of turpentine in a quart of milk. The 

 calf recovered its feet and tried to walk. Soon there were indications 

 of spasms, and the dose of turpentine and milk was repeated, when the 

 calf stood up until 11.30 a. m., then it went down as before. Aconite 

 and milk were then given, and also a hypodermic injection of nitro- 

 glycerine, but the animal died at 11.15 a. m. From the beginning of 

 the experiment there was a decided rise in temperature, the highest 

 being to 106^° F. Similar experiments were made later in the season 

 (May), and it was learned that a much larger amount of the bulbs. could 

 then be consumed without serious effects. Hence the author concludes 

 that cattle are likely to be poisoned only from the first of January to 

 the middle of May. The simple remedies, such as old bacon grease, 

 flour, aud milk, recommended by stockmen in milder cases, the author 

 thinks may be of some value, but that they will be unavailing with an 

 animal that has swallowed even a very small quantity of the bulb when 

 the poison is virulent. The best remedies are eradicating the plant 

 from pastures or keeping cattle from lands where it grows. 



Report of the veterinarian, A. T. Peters {Nebraska State ltd. Agr. Bpt. 1S96, pp. 

 191-216, ph. 7). — With the exception of a few tables, this is a reprint of Bulletin 47 

 of the Nebraska Station (E. S. R., 9, p. 93). A compiled popular account of glanders 

 in its various forms is added. 



Contagious diseases of animals in Great Britain, D. E. Salmon ( U. S. Dipt 

 Agr., Bureau of Animal Industry Bjyts. 1S95 and 1S96, pp. 37-75). — This is a concise and 

 critical account of the history of the struggles in (ireat Britain against swine fever, 

 pleuropneumonia, tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, and anthrax. The great 

 disadvantage of leaving the diseases to independent local control, as was done in 

 earlier times, is thoroughly brought out and compared with the advantages of con- 

 trol of repressive measures by a single central authority. The figures given by the 

 author show a general decrease in the number of animals affected with the various 

 diseases with the exception of swine fever. In the case of pleuropneumonia, for 

 example, there were between 1870 and 1879 on an average 5,995 animals attacked per 



