tas, 
7 ae 
354 On the salivary Defluxions of Horses. 
catories. The euphorbia maculata possesses its greatest 
acrimony when in flower, or alittle before: and at that time 
the salivation has been observed to be most prevalent. 
Most plants when thoroughly dried in the sun lose much 
of their virtue. This is also the case with the euphor- 
bia maculata, for this reason hay, containing it, tho- 
roughly dried in the sun, will not be near so produc- 
tive of salivation, as when it has been slowly dried in 
cloudy weather. This circumstance I think worth at- 
_ tending to, in gathering hay containing it. Horses and 
hogs are the only animals, that I have observed, to be 
subject to the salivation. Why itdoes not affect the ru- 
minating animals, I have not been able to ascertain. 
Probably future observation may enable me, or some 
one else, to account for it. At present I shall not haz- 
ard a conjecture.* 
From the foregoing observations I think it extremely 
probable, that the plant in question is the general cause 
of the salivation in horses. There are other plants be- 
sides the euphorbia, that will act as masticatories: but I 
believe that there are but very few of them flourishing 
in our fields, that are liable to be eaten by the grami- 
nivorous animals. I am_ perfectly satisfied that the 
euphorbia maculata will produce it; and I have always 
observed it to abound in the fields where ptyalism 
was prevalent. 
* Several members of the Society have remarked, cattle 
sheep and swine as well as horses, to be affected by the se- 
cond crop of clover, and of other grasses. 
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