64 STOCK-POISOJSriNG plants of MONTANA. 



can reasonably be suspected of being poisonous, with the single excep- 

 tion of the purple larkspur. This latter plant, however, had not been 

 eaten by the sheep in localities where the death camas was abundant. 

 Besides this evidence, obtained under natural conditions, experimental 

 proof was obtained by collecting death camas and feeding it and its 

 extracts to sheep and rabbits. The symptoms produced b}^ this ex- 

 perimental poisoning and those which were observed in natural cases 

 were identical. 



During extended trips over dijfferent portions of the State many 

 localities were examined where it was said that poisoning uniformly 

 occurred if sheep were allowed to range there during the month of 

 May. The death camas was found to be the only suspicious plant 

 which grew in abundance in all such localities. A considerable num- 

 ber of places were visited where poisoning of sheep in the spring had 

 occurred to such an extent for a number of years that these parts 

 of the range had had to be abandoned during that season, and sheep 

 were only allowed to graze there during the late summer and fall. 

 In all such places the death camas grew abundantly and was the only 

 plant which could have caused serious poisoning. 



REMEDIAL AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES. 



In cases of poisoning by death camas, a solution containing equal 

 weights of permanganate of potash and sulphate of aluminum should 

 be administered at once according to the directions already given. ^ 



The only practicable preventive measure which can be suggested is 

 to determine the localities where the plant is most abundant from year 

 to year and to herd the sheep away from such areas during the early 

 spring, when the plant is succulent and most tempting. In order to 

 do this, it is necessary for each sheep herder or owner to become 

 familiar with the plant in all of its stages of growth. 



SUMMARY. 



Death camas is an extremely common and widely distributed plant 

 in Montana. 



The bulbs have long been suspected in Montana and elsewhere of 

 being poisonous to stock and to human beings. 



Our observations showed that the plant is frequently eaten by stock, 

 especially by sheep, with fatal results in a large percentage of cases. 



Our experiments with rabbits and sheep demonstrated that the leaves 

 as well as the bulbs are poisonous in moderate quantities, both rabbits 

 and sheep having been killed by eating the plant. 



Experiments with various remedies indicated that permanganate of 

 potash was the most effective antidote. 



Sheep should be herded away from this plant in early spring. 



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