SYMPTOMS OF POISONING WITH DEATH CAMAS. 61 



apparently conclude that sheep can recover from ver}^ severe cases of 

 poisoning by this plant, provided such quantity of the plant as still 

 remains in the stomach is rendered nonpoisonous b}^ chemical means, 

 such as the use of potassium permanganate. 



ExperiTnent 15. — On subsequent dates in the month of May potas- 

 sium permanganate was given to 15 adult sheep and 20 lambs which 

 had been poisoned by eating death camas. In all cases the animals 

 were much improved by this treatment within two hours and the 

 majorit}^ of them recovered ultimately, although reports have not 

 been received on a few of the lambs. The lambs which received this 

 treatment were from two weeks to one month old, and did not as yet 

 eat any grass or other plants. The poison which they received was, 

 therefore, contained in the mother's milk. The lambs were given 

 from one-half gram to 1^ grams of the potassium permanganate, 

 according to the size. The solutions were administered both as a 

 drench and by direct injection into the stomach. The treatment was 

 given in most cases immediately after the lamb had been suckled by 

 the ewe. The potassium permanganate seemed to have a decidedly 

 beneficial action in checking the digestive disturbances produced by 

 the action of the death camas in the lambs. The stifiness of gait and 

 other irregular muscular movements were also corrected within a few 

 hours. 



SYMPTOMS AND EVIDENCES OF POISONING. 



The symptoms were remarkably uniform in the large number of 

 cases observed, and the following description should enable any sheep 

 raiser to recognize the cases of poisoning bj^ death camas. The first 

 signs of poisoning are a certain uneasiness and irregularity in the 

 movements of the sheep. These irregularities rapidly become more 

 and more pronounced, accompanied b}^ incoordination of the muscular 

 movements, spasms, and rapid breathing. Although sheep are highly 

 excited under the influence of Zygadenus poisoning, the cerebral 

 sj^mptoms seldom constitute a condition of frenzy. It was readily 

 observed that until a few minutes before death ewes were able to 

 recognize their lambs, and indicated in other ways that they were not 

 in any sense crazed. The later symptoms were those of complete 

 motor paralysis, combined with an exceedingl}^ rapid and shallow 

 breathing and a frequent weak pulse. The duration of these difl'erent 

 stages of the poisoning varied to a considerable extent and depended 

 entirely upon the amount of death camas which the sheep had eaten. 

 In cases where large quantities had been eaten the different symptoms 

 succeeded one another rapidly, the spasms and labored breathing were 

 verj' noticeable, and death resulted within from one to three hours 

 after the first manifestations of poisoning. In many cases, however, 

 the sheep passed through the first sj'^mptoms slowly, and after about 



