52 Kansas Academy of Science. 



experiment that if loco plants are grown upon certain soils — soils 

 that contain no barium — these plants are not poisonous or are 

 pharmacologically inactive. This solves that mystery which con- 

 fronted ranchmen and farmers. In the present writer's early re- 

 ports it was stated that very contradictory testimony was obtained 

 from ranchmen of different localities, some stating positively that 

 loco weed was not poisonous, while others stated, on the contrary, 

 that it was deadly poisonous. Many observers in the western part 

 of Kansas stated that where the loco plant grows abundantly it had 

 no deleterious effect upon animals. This can now, in the light of 

 the Crawford and Marsh investigations, be accounted for by the 

 fact that the soil of that particular region contains no barium. 



It will be seen at once that this investigation has been of value, 

 and opens up a field considerably wider than first anticipated. In 

 our laboratory at the University of Kansas, since Crawford's re- 

 port, we have collected numerous plants upon which cattle are 

 likely to feed, and have subjected these to artificial digestion in an 

 artificial gastric fluid. This fluid is prepared by employing an 

 active pepsin and acidulated water. These experiments have been 

 conducted, under our supervision, by Mr. James T. B. Bowles. We 

 shall at present confine ourselves to laboratory experiments upon 

 loco weed. 



