45 



amination was held on one animal which had died the ni.i^ht be- 

 fore, the results of which are as follows : 



The animal, a cow, was found to be in good flesh. Upon re- 

 moving the skin no hemorrhagic, subcutaneous extravasations 

 were fotmd ; liver slightly enlarged with evidences of some fatty 

 degeneration, and numerous scars from fluke although no para- 

 sites were found ; kidneys showing some congestion in both cortex 

 and medulla ; considerable enteritis and some enlargement of 

 Peyers patches, the contents of the intestines being considerably 

 blood-stained; spleen considerably enlarged, being four to five 

 times the normal size, dark red in color with a very soft, almost 

 fluid, pulp almost black in color ; heart and lungs normal ; blood 

 normal. The first, second and third stomachs were found filled 

 with a large amount of a certain weed which was found growing 

 abundantly in the pasture and also a considerable amount of 

 leaves from the kukui tree. Numerous inflammatory submucous 

 patches were observed in all three stomachs and must be at- 

 tributed to the action of the weed. The fourth or true stomach 

 contained a certain amount of fluid material and appeared to be 

 in every way in a normal condition. 



Microscopical examinations from the spleen, intestinal contents 

 and blood revealed putrefactive organisms only. The suspicions 

 of anthrax were thereby allayed. 



Working upon the theory that the trouble was due to some 

 poisonous weed, a thorough investigation of the pasture was 

 made and samples taken of the weed which was growing abun- 

 dantlv over the field and with which the paunch of the animal 

 was filled. This weed was the only green thing growing in the 

 pasture with the one exception of the leaves of the kukui tree. 

 The samples collected were submitted to Mr. ]. F. Rock, botanist 

 at the College of Hawaii, for classification. Afr. Rock classified 

 the plant as the Asclepias curassavica L., the nuumela of the na- 

 tives belonging to the family Asclepiadacea. This species is 

 known to be very poisonous, and has been the cause of consid- 

 erable cattle poisoning in Australia. 



This weed grows abundantly in many of the vallevs, springing 

 up quickly after a little rain, but as a rule cattle do not eat it 

 unless forced to do so through the absence of other feed. That 

 they were forced to eat large quantities of it in this instance 

 was apparent from the condition of the pasture, which was en- 

 tirely bare of grass and afforded nothing else of an edible nature. 

 Therefore our conclusions in the matter were that the cattle 

 were dying from the poisonous eflfects of these weeds. In an at- 

 tempt to verify our conclusions we had a couple of bags of this 

 weed forwarded to us with the intention of carrying on a few 

 feeding experiments and noting the results, but so far we have 

 been unsuccessful in our attempts to force the animal at the sta- 

 tion to eat any of it. Since our last visit Mr. Lyman has not re- 

 ported any more deaths. 



