Nov. 15, 1915 Gossypol, the Toxic Substance in Cottonseed Meal 277 



day cockerel 986 had fallen off in weight, and his appetite was only 

 fairly good. On the sixth day his digestion was poor, his crop being 

 full of food. The bird steadily lost in weight until death on the six- 

 teenth day, dropping from 3 to 2 pounds in weight. The bird was given 

 4.1 gm. of gossypol, at least 0.5 gm. of which was found in the crop 

 after death. 



The post-mortem examination showed extreme emaciation. Food in crop for a num- 

 ber of days; indications that gossypol interferes with the nervous mechanism of diges- 

 tion. Diarrhea, the contents being fluid in rectum only. Semisolid in other portions. 

 An absence of visible lesions. 



Cockerel 987, slightly larger than 986, reacted in quite the same man- 

 ner as 986 to administrations of gossypol. He steadily wasted away, 

 falling from 3 pounds 8 ounces to 2 pounds 3 ounces, and died on the 

 twenty-sixth day. Amount of gossypol fed, 5 gm. 



The post-mortem examination showed extreme emaciation. Testes, spleen, giz- 

 zard, and other organs to a certain extent in a state of absorption. 



Of chief interest to us was a statement by Dr. Kaupp to the effect 

 that the gossypol produced the same results as cottonseed meal. 



A healthy pullet (989) was started on gossypol. On the fourth day 

 her digestion was affected. Nine doses of 0.3 gm. each in a period of 

 20 days were sufficient to cause her to refuse all feed and to waste away. 

 She died on the thirty-sixth day, weight 1.5 pounds, just half the 

 initial weight. Dr. Kaupp reported that "the autopsy revealed noth- 

 ing beyond extreme emaciation." See Table VIII. 



Table VIII. — Results of feeding gossypol " acetate " to fowls 



curred 

 in — 



986 

 987 

 989 



Days. 

 16 

 26 

 36 



FEEDING GOSSYPOL "ACETATE" TO A PIG 



Pig 989, weighing 21 pounds, was fed corn meal and molasses. He 

 ate with relish. About 5 p. m. he was given 3 gm. of crystalline gos- 

 sypol "acetate" mixed with 80 gm. of corn meal and molasses, the whole 

 feed weighing about 125 gm. He ate all but a small part. The next 

 morning he had little appetite. In the afternoon he w^as given i gm. of 

 gossypol on corn meal and molasses, most of which was left on the fol- 

 lowing morning. The remainder was made into slop. He ate part of 

 this. On the afternoon of the same day he vomited; the following 

 morning he appeared sick. We were unable to continue this experi- 

 ment. 



9840°— 15 2 



