BIOLOGICAL PAPERS. 143 



that these experiaients proved nothing, only that further work must 

 be done on this line with cattle. 



Quoting from Doctor Lewis, Mr. Fields said: "We consider loco 

 one of the worst enemies to stock on the plains. It affects cattle and 

 horses about the same, and unquestionably it will produce abortion. 

 Our mares and cows will not do us any good so long as its effects re- 

 main in their systems. If they eat much of it and do not abort, their 

 young are deformed in some way ; in fact, worthless." 



This phase of the physiological action of loco is a new one to us, 

 and we think should be recorded. As to the question of larvas and 

 insects for which the plant serves as host, one of these, found com- 

 monly upon the flowers and other parts of the plant, is known as the 

 pea weavil, Brunchus aureolus. It is mentioned in Insect Life, 

 volume V, page 166. The other one is known as Walshia a?norpAilla. 

 The grubs of these have been frequently received in Washington for 

 examination ( Insect Life, vol. II, p. 50 ), the sender always being 

 of the impression that the worms were the cause of the peculiar effect 

 upon the live stock. But the report upon these insects is as follows : 

 "The maggots are harmless larvfie of a little moth, Walshia aiyior- 

 philla, which occur also in allied plants, boring into roots and stems." 



The old theory that an alkaloidal poison is secreted in the plant, 

 causing the loco trouble, has not been found tenable. But, on search- 

 ing for a poisonous alkaloid, it has been discovered that a very minute 

 quantity can be extracted, and this, when administered in solution to 

 kittens, would produce only temporary inconvenience of a local char- 

 acter. Perhaps one of the most careful pieces of chemical work upon 

 the plant, with a view of isolating the poisonous principle, was that 

 of Doctor Power and Mr. Cambier, of the University of Wisconsin. 

 In these experiments, one kilogram of the herb yielded 0.2 gm. of 

 an alkaloid, equivalent to 0.006 per cent. This alkaloid was not found 

 to be especially active, as when 0.2 of a gram was fed to a kitten, a 

 frothing at the mouth and a profuse flow of saliva continued for half 

 an hour, after which the animal finally recovered. These symptoms 

 not uncommonly accompany the administration of many of the 

 saponinoid principles of plants which are comparatively harmless. 

 We are strongly of the opinion that the so-called locoism cannot be 

 produced by any preformed alkaloidal principle existing in the plant. 

 What alkaloidal substances may be formed by disturbed digestion in 

 the presence of this nitrogenous food in the digestive tract has been 

 only a matter of conjecture. 



We have evidence of cases where the loco disease was entirely 

 stamped out by carefully caring for, wintering and feeding stock 

 according to more modern methods. Mr. J. P. Cone, now living in 



