SPERMATOPHYTA LILIACEAE 379 



Postmortem examinations made show that in every instance the lungs 

 were congested with blood, being a hepatized condition. There were no lesions 

 in the membranes of the brain. In cases of adult sheep the effect upon the 

 digestive organs was not marked. There were usually to be noticed an in- 

 creased salivation and continued regurgitation through the mouth and nostrils. 

 "Symptoms produced experimentally by feeding the death camas to sheep were 

 the same as those characterizing natural poisoning by this plant. 



The toxic substance has not been isolated. Chesnut and Wilcox observed 

 that the ground material macerated with luke warm distilled water produced 

 a substance that had a decided soapy feeling, and that the pure juice was 

 distinctly irritating when left on the hands for several minutes. The physio- 

 logical action of the Veratrum is somewhat similarly caused by the active 

 poisonous principle in camas. It is probable that many of the Melanthaceae 

 have similar properties. Dr. Wilcox recommends, in case of poisoning by 

 death camas, the hypodermic injection of strychnin in 1/20, 1/10 and 1/5 grain 

 doses, the hypodermic injection of atropin in 1/60 and 1/30 grain doses, and 

 solutions of potassium permanganate and aluminum sulphate. From 5 to 10 

 grains of each of these compounds are dissolved in water and given as a drink 

 to adult sheep. Hogs take the same doses as sheep, horses from 15 to 20 

 grains, and cattle from 30 to 50 grains. Occasionally the material is injected 

 directly into the stomach, but ordinarily the more convenient method is to 

 allow the animals to drink it. The substances veratalbin, sabadin and sabadinin 

 have been obtained from Z. venenosus. 



2. Melanthium. L,. Bunchflower 



Perennial tall leafy herbs with a thick rootstock; leaves linear to oblance- 

 olate; flowers on large panicles, monoecious or polygamous, greenish yellow; 

 perianth of 6 widely spreading segments raised on slender claws free from 

 the ovary ; stamens shorter than the perianth ; pistil with 3 styles ; capsule 

 3-lobed and 3-celled. A small genus of 4 species, in eastern North America. 



Melanthium virginicum. L. Common Bunchflower 



Tall leafy stemmed plants 3-5 feet high; leaves linear, the lower sheathing, 

 the upper similar and sessile; flowers in an ample panicle, fragrant; perianth of 

 flat segments, greenish yellow; styles persistent, capsule 3-celled; 8-10 seeds 

 in each cavity. 



Distribution. In low meadows and prairies from New England to Iowa 

 river basin to Minnesota to Texas and Florida. 



Poisonous properties. Several correspondents in Iowa have attributed 

 poisoning of horses to this plant. Several related plants of the Melanthaceae 

 like Zygadenus and Veratrum are known to be poisonous. 



Mr. J. R. Campbell, of Blockton, Iowa, writes us the following: 



The specimens I sent you, and which you have identified as Melanthium virginicum, 

 have been the reputed cause of a number of cases of poisoning here this summer. The 

 veterinarian here pronounced it aconite poisoning as the symptoms are similar, but he 

 decided this weed caused it as it has been found present in every case. In the first 

 cases that he noticed here nearly all the horses in the livery barn were attacked after 

 partaking of hay which contained an abundance of the matured seed pods of this plant. 

 None of the animals died. The liveryman then had his men pick out all the weed, 

 and he has not been troubled since. Several cases have occured at different places since 

 then, all traceable to this weed. 



