Oct IS. 1021 Hydrocyanic Acid in Svdan Grass 137 



HYDROCYANIC ACID IN SUDAN HAY 



Two samples were taken from the outside of a stack of Sudan hay 

 and two from the inside. No hydrocyanic acid was found. 



AMOUNT OF HYDROCYANIC ACID IN OTHER SORGHUMS 



On July 23 a sample of kafir was taken and separated into leaves 

 and stems. From the leaves were obtained 16 mgm., and from the 

 stems 10 mgm. of hydrocyanic acid. The kafir stems were very little 

 developed. Sudan grass, tested the same day, gave 8 mgm. of the acid 

 from the same weight of material. On July 26, just after a heavy rain, 

 following a period of dry weather, a sample of kafir gave 72 mgm. and a 

 sample of sorgo (cane) 42 mgm. of hydrocyanic acid. Sudan grass 

 6 inches high, tested on that date, gave 32 mgm. of hydrocyanic acid. 



On August 7 a sample of second-growth sorgo (cane) was received 

 from LaHarpe, Kans. About one-fifth was quite dry, two-fifths were 

 wilted and yellow, and two-fifths were green. The sample was some- 

 what moldy. One portion digested in the usual manner gave 13 mgm. 

 hydrocyanic acid. Another portion distilled at once from hot water 

 gave 24 mgm., showing that the hydrocyanic acid was in free condition. 

 Another sample of sorgo was sent in from Seneca, Kans. This was 

 reported to have killed six cows. From the portion distilled from hot 

 water 20 mgm. were obtained and from the portion digested in the 

 usual way 36 mgm. 



On September 2 a quantity of Red Amber kafir was collected, and 

 six portions were prepared, and treated with the results given in Table 



XVII. 



Table XVII. — Hydrocyanic acid in Red Atnber kafir 



Sample 



No. 



Treatment. 



Left in flask 15 minutes after maceration, after which hot water 



was added and distilled 



Digested overnight in water ^^,.^.,^,^. 



Digested overnight in N/o.^ H2SO4. ...-.'.?..'.. 



Digested overnight in Njo.i HjSO^ 



Digested overnight in N/o.oi H2SO4 



Digested overnight in N/o.oi NaOH 



Mgm. 



32 

 119 



None. 



None. 

 40 

 36 



Part of this experiment was repeated by putting macerated sorgo into 

 boiling water at once. This gave 8 mgm. hydrocyanic acid, while that 

 digested overnight gave 96 mgm. Another portion was divided into five 

 portions. After maceration they were all digested in water overnight. 

 Then to these portions standardized sulphtuic acid was added so as to 

 make the normahties indicated. The results are given in Table XVIII. 



These determinations show without a doubt that sorgo and kafir con- 

 tain much larger amounts of hydrocyanic acid than does Sudan grass, 

 and also that the conditions for obtaining it are very similar. 



