72 STOCK-POISONING- PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



and legs soon begin to quiver spasmodically. This a very character- 

 istic symptom, being usually exhibited for several hours. The function 

 of the special senses is seldom impaired, the animal being apparently 

 able to hear and see as well and as correctly as under conditions of 

 health. Although a slight increase in the quantity of saliva is to be 

 noticed in some cases, this symptom is never so pronounced as in cases 

 of poisoning by death camas. During the later stages of poisoning the 

 animal is usually attacked with violent convulsions, in one of which it 

 finally dies. In this respect, also, the symptoms differ distinctl}^ from 

 those of death camas poisoning, which is usually quite without spasms. 

 The digestive functions seem not to be affected by larkspur poisoning. 

 The temperature is lowered slightly during the first stages, in one 

 instance having been as low as 97^. During the later stages the pulse 

 becomes very frequent and the breathing rapid and shallow. The 

 cerebral symptoms are simply those of excitement, and the appetite 

 seems not to be lost until shortly before death. 



REMEDIAL AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES. 



In cases of poisoning by tall larkspur, permanganate of potash 

 and sulphate of aluminum should be administered as recommended 

 for poisoning by death camas. ^ For counteracting the physiological 

 effects, atropine should be given hypodermically in doses of from i to 

 1 grain for cattle and horses. Alcoholic stimulants and ammonia may 

 be administered to some advantage. To prevent poisoning from lark- 

 spur, cattle should be herded away from the localities where it abounds 

 in spring until the danger from early snowstorms has passed. 



The distribution of the tall larkspur in Montana is for the most part 

 in such sharply defined and moderate-sized areas that the possibility of 

 exterminating it by digging is not out of the question. For example, 

 in Gallatin County there is a cattle range located at an altitude of 

 about 6,500 feet, in a basin surrounded on all sides b}^ mountains. 

 Cattle have been allowed to graze on this range every season for a 

 number of years, and a greater or less number of animals have died 

 each year from poisoning b}' the tall larkspur. In 1898, during the 

 early part of June, 40 died from eating this plant, while during the 

 spring of 1900 only 3 were poisoned. A careful inspection of this 

 range showed that the tall larkspur was entirely confined to a few 

 areas of small size. It is believed that it could all be completely exter- 

 minated by twenty-five days' work with a weed digger designed for 

 severing the roots at a short distance below the ground. The expense 

 of this labor would not exceed the value of two cattle, and this num.- 

 ber is much less than the average annual loss from the tall larkspur 

 on this range. Similar conditions prevail on some of the mountain 

 ranges in the vicinit}'^ of Deerlodge, Redlodge, and Bigtimber. On 



1 Pages 47, 64. 



