48 Journal of Agriculture. [11 Jan., 1909. 



of cattle within forty -eight hours, and at another time fourteen horses died 

 within a period of three weeks. Arsenic was found thickly deposited on 

 the leaves of grass and trees on the common, in the water of a creek near 

 by and in the stomach and intestines of animals found dead near the 

 works. It was ascertained that from 480 to 640 tons of ore containing 10 

 f>er cent, of arsenic were treated per month and in spite of the consider- 

 able market value of arsenic the condensing plant was of the crudest, so 

 that a large proportion of the arsenic was allowed to escape with the 

 fumes. 



An account of some of the typical cases encountered during the investi- 

 gation will serve to convey an idea of the salient symptoms and post 

 mortem appearances. 



Case i. A nine months old calf examined when virtually at the 

 point of death. The sym-ptoms exhibited were extreme weakness and 

 emaciation with evidence of foetid diarrhoea, coat long and staring, skin 

 dry and hidebound, loss of muscular co-ordination, pulse imperceptible, 

 temperature elevated, respirations hurried, dry muzzle, furred tongue, with 

 slimy froth issuing from the mouth, blind with longstanding ophthalmia 

 and ulceration and staphyloma of each cornea. The calf died about six 

 hours later, and was at once examined. Post mortem examination re- 

 vealed redness and congestion of the alimentary tract, especially on the 

 fourth stomach (abomasum) and first portion of the small intestines (duo- 

 denum) amounting to gastro-enteritis. Other parts of the intestines were 

 congested in patches, on some of which was a blood-stained effusion. The 

 contents were fluid and dark coloured. In parts the omental membranes 

 (caul net) were infiltrated with a straw coloured and slightly gelatinous 

 exudate. Lungs congested. Heart flabby, with ecchymosis of the heart 

 sac (pericardium). Tongue enlarged and dark coloured. Eyes ulcerated. 

 A portion of the duodenum about 4 inches long with its contents was pro- 

 cured and ligatured and sealed at each end. This was preserved in a jar 

 in a 3 per cent, solution of formalin, and submitted to Mr. C. R. 

 Blackett, Government Analyst, for analysis. His report, dated ist IMarch, 

 1898, was as follows : — " Intestine of calf — weighed 92.6 grammes. 

 Liquid in the jar measured 200 c.c. and contained arsenic which weighed 

 4 milligrammes." 



Case 2. This was a cow which died about three hundred yards from 

 the works. Post mortem examination was made about thirty-six hours 

 after death, and at that time decomposition was only slightly advanced, there 

 being comparatively little putrefactive odour. The first stomach (paunch 

 or rumen) was moderately full of ingesta, mainly grass. The mucous 

 lining of the rumen was black and easily detachable from the submucous 

 coat. A large quantity of straw-coloured gelatinous exudate was distri- 

 buted — in some cases to a thickness of over two inches — in the external 

 interstices between tlie divisions of the paunch, also in the external covering 

 of the third and fourth stomachs and particularly surrounding the junction 

 of the fourth stomach and small intestine. The remaining organs did not 

 exhibit any changes other than those which may be common to a variety 

 of disorders. 



Case 3. A two vear old heifer found dead about a mile from the 

 works and known to ha\e been grazing on the common for onlv five weeks. 

 On -post mortem examination the appearances seen were mostlv similar to 

 those exhibited in Case 2, particularlv the straw-coloured gelatinous exudate 

 of Ivmph on the external surfaces of the stomachs and small intestines. 



