VARIOUS LOCO WEEDS. 99 



which has been eaten and the promptness with which the remedy is 

 applied. In locoed animals, on the other hand, the stockman has 

 quite difficult conditions to contend with. He maj^ be able, as in the 

 two cases just cited, temporaril}^ to counteract the effect of eating the 

 loco weed. Such cure is, however, only apparent. The habit is formed 

 and the animals will at once begin to eat the plant again if turned 

 out upon the range. A permanent cure therefore, in the ordinary 

 sense of the word, seems to be practically^ impossible, the loco habit 

 being comparable, as already indicated, to various injurious habits of 

 men, such as habitual drunkenness and the morphine habit. For 

 chronic cases it seems hardly reasonable to expect that an}' remedy 

 will be devised. Their treatment must apparently proceed on the 

 same principles as the treatment of vicious habits of long standing 

 in man. 



SUMMARY. 



The white loco weed is a common and widely distributed plant in 

 Montana, being especially abundant on slopes with a northern expo- 

 sure. It has long been considered b)^ Montana stockmen as the most 

 important loco weed. 



Our observations show that eating this plant produces the loco dis- 

 ease, and that the loco Labit is common in sheep and horses but rare 

 in cattle. Fatal effects were noted in one acute and several chronic 

 cases in sheep. 



Narcotic effects were produced in a rabbit by feeding an extract of 

 the leaves. 



The present state of knowledge concerning the exact ph^^siological 

 effect of loco weed is so vague that no specific antidote or medical 

 treatment can be recommended. 



Locoed sheep should be removed from the band and fattened for 

 market on alfalfa or other forage plants, as above explained. 



The immediate isolation of locoed sheep is advisable in order to 

 prevent the habit from spreading in the band. 



It seems desirable to give sheep a regular and abundant suppl}' of 

 salt in order to prevent the development of any perversion of the 

 appetite. 



Locoed horses are used to the best advantage as draft animals, but 

 they must be maintained in good condition and prevented from eating 

 loco weeds. 



. OTHER LOCO WEEDS. 



{Aragallxis spp.) 



In addition to the white loco weed a number of species in this and 

 closely related genera are considered as loco weeds in Montana, among 

 which the most important are the silvery loco weed {Aragallus splendens 



