70 STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



in a strong linen bag and subjected to pressure in a filter press, and 

 the juice thus obtained was added to that already saved in grinding, 

 870 c. c. in all being obtained. Some of this was used in experiment -i. 



On June 14, at 8.15 a. m., 400 c. c. of this juice was poured through 

 a rubber tube and funnel into the stomach of a sheep weighing 

 approximately 50 pounds. No symptoms were observable up to 10 

 o'clock, but the animal was uneasy and slightly bloated. The skin 

 twitched occasionally and the respiration was weaker and somewhat 

 labored, the rate being 24 a minute. The pulse rate was 92. At 10.42 

 the animal, although a little droop}'^, would run about readily and did 

 not appear to be uneasy. Four hundred cubic centimeters more of 

 the juice was now fed. At 3.15 there was a slight trembling of the 

 limbs. The animal had been lying down calmly for some time, but 

 was now on its feet and, although somewhat weak, could walk with 

 ease. It remained standing in the same condition for over two hours. 

 At 7 it was resting contentedly without any sign of discomfort, and 

 on the next day it was apparently as well and as active as usual. 



Experiment ^.— The residue left after expressing the juice from 

 1,700 grams of the plants used in the previous experiment was soaked 

 over night in 1,000 c. c. of alcohol, to which 10 c. c. of the dilute 

 acetic acid was added to facilitate the extraction of the alkaloids. 

 One thousand one hundred and thirty-three cubic centimeters of alco- 

 holic extract was obtained the next day by filtration and by strong 

 pressing in the filter press. 



Four hundred cubic centimeters of this extract was fed June 14, at 

 8.53 a. m., to a sheep weighing about 50. pounds. The large quantity 

 of alcohol contained in the extract caused the sheep to stagger to the 

 floor within a few minutes and, of course, produced most of the char- 

 acteristic physiological effects. By comparison with a check of about 

 equal weight to which the same quantity of 50 per cent alcohol had 

 been given a few minutes before, certain symptoms characteristic of 

 the larkspur were noted. At 9.20 the animal was l.ying on the floor 

 suffering from an almost complete loss of nuiscular and nervous energy. 

 The pulse rate was 72 a minute, but the pulse was exceedingly weak. 

 The animal could not raise its head. At 10.20 it was more conscious, 

 but its skin was quivering constantly and was very sensitive to touch. 

 The rate of breathing had increased to 33 a minute, but was very shal- 

 low. The pulse rate was not determinable on account of its great 

 rapidity and the constant trembling of the animal's body. At the 

 same time it had gained control over its muscles to such an extent that 

 it could hold its head off the floor for about a minute at a time. It 

 continued in the same condition, but gradually recovering its strength, 

 until 6.30, when it got upon its feet. The trembling and twitching of 

 the muscles ceased to be very prominent at about 3 o'clock, but it was 

 observed in less pronounced form until 6.30. At 5.12 it was but 



