CYAX(1GENESIS IN SORGHUM VULGARE 47 



poisoned Jinimals were sa^'od bv tlie ]irom]it exliibition of natron, folloAved liv sim- 

 sim (sesame) oil. 



Viscount Frankfort, Inspector, Dongola, also spoke of the danger fi-om gi\'ing oongoia 

 immature dura, and cited the fact that at tlie end of 1901 and the beginning of 

 1902 there was a great mortality in cattle at Affat Dahbah. They had fed on dura 

 affected by some species of rust. 



Major Borton, from Suakin, had much the same to say as Mr. NeA^lle, and in 

 addition i-emarked that — 



1. If rainfall suddenly ceases after a good start in growth has Ijcen made, suauin 



plants have been known to haye poisonous effects. 



2. When eaten dry after faihng to mature from want of rain the stalks are 



poisonous. 



3. When the dura heads have been eaten by locusts the stalks are said to be 



poisonous, but animals will rarely touch them. 



There seems to be some difference of opinion amongst the various obsen"ers as 

 to whether dura, Avhich has been poisonous, becomes harmless when thorouglily sun- 

 dried or aii'-dried. 



Briinnich' gives the following as ijrecautionary measures : — Precautionary 



o 1 J measures 



1. AU fodder plants related to sorghum must be used with discretion, in either 



the green or the dried state, and should not be given in large amounts to 

 animals which have fasted for some time. 



2. Sorghum should never be used in a very immature stage of growth, but 



only when the seed ears are well developed. 



Mr. Neville, as stated, lays stress on the noniiality or othenvise of the crop, 

 and seems to agree with the native opinion that in the Sudan thoroughly dried dura 

 is innocuous. The latter statement is borne out by Professor Dunstan's experiments ^ 

 at the Imperial Institute. Sevei'al samples of young gi'een sorglivm vulr/arr 

 have been examined in the laboratories and the presence of hydrocyanic acid influence of 

 demonstrated. There is a belief in Australia that the plant is more poisonous when o"n''cyano^'' 

 attacked by insects during a dry season, a statement elicited by Quinnel. I s<-nes's 

 mentioned this to Mr. Sillitoe, the head gai-dener, when he was collecting aphis- 

 infected dura for fodder. He lost one animal fed on it, and several others were 

 seriously iU. 



At the same time I made a comparison of two samples of dura of the same 

 age ; the one normal, the other harbouring aphides. As shoAvn there was certainly 

 more hydrocyanic acid present in the latter, but no conclusions can be based on 



' Journal Chemical Society, July, 1903 - Technical Reports, &c., 1903 



