PRUSSIC ACID POISONING 327 



astringent properties, and counteracts the tendency to 

 excessive looseness of the bowels. Decorticated cake, 

 ground into a fine state of division on account of its being 

 hard to chew if in lumps, is better given in winter, or, if in 

 summer, on the pasture, mixed with maize-meal. 



Prussia acid poisoning- was frequent in 1905 and early in 

 1906, among dairy cattle, owing to the Java bean, Phaseolus 

 lunatus, being used to meet a deficiency in the usual pea and 

 bean supply for the dairy. There are three forms of this 

 legume: (i) The cultivated and domesticated variety with 

 white seeds, which are safe to use. (2) A semi-cultivated 

 form, producing seeds "light or dark brown with violet hues 

 or purple patches." These contain small amounts of a 

 glucoside (phaseolunatin) which during digestion evolves 

 prussic acid. And (3) the deadly wild form, in which the seeds 

 are generally violet, though there is also a wide range of 

 colour dark brown, purple, and light brown specimens being 

 met with. 



The symptoms of illness after a small handful of the meal 

 has been eaten by a cow, are trembling and twitching, and a 

 rise of temperature to probably 105. In fatal cases, after an 

 ordinary feed of the meal, the post-mortem reveals " acute 

 inflammation in the fourth (or true) stomach and the bowels, 

 and haemorrhage all over the small bowels," as seen in cases 

 of acute irritant poisoning. 



At Drumbuie, near Sanquhar, N.B., a startling loss 

 occurred on 1st Jan. 1906, in a dairy of pedigree Ayrshires. 

 Within about five minutes after about 3 Ibs. of the meal 

 mixed with water had been given to each, the cows 

 " presented the appearance of animals choking, and they 

 bellowed loudly and appeared to suffer acute pain. One 

 after another dropped, and within half an hour twenty-four of 

 the cows were dead." 



At Cockerhurst, Shoreham, Kent, and other places in 

 England and Scotland, a limited number of cows died in 

 similar circumstances, but a good many were saved by prompt 

 treatment for irritant poisons. (See page 257.) 



Effects of a few common Food Stuffs. Bean-meal, 

 produced by grinding the common field bean, perhaps to a 

 greater degree than anything else, increases the flow of really 

 good milk, and is only dangerous to give, unless in im- 



