Poisoning 423 



toms. If there is severe irritation of the bowels, give a 

 purge of castor- or raw linseed -oil, to remove the irrita- 

 ting material, and follow with small doses of laudanum, 

 to allay the irritation. Gruels and warm sweet milk 

 containing beaten raw eggs are soothing and nourishing. 

 To animals that can vomit, an emetic of mustard and 

 tepid water may be given. In cases in which symptoms 

 indicate absorbed poison, and the animal is weak and 

 depressed, stimulants should be given, together with 

 purgatives, to remove poisonous materials not already 

 absorbed. Dilute alcohol or ammonia, in moderate 

 doses, should be given frequently until danger from 

 collapse 'is past. In all cases of poisoning it is a good 

 plan to give rectal injections of warm water, to stimu- 

 late the action of the bowels and to remove their con- 

 tents. When an animal is cold and weak, stimulants, 

 such as Jamaica ginger, may be given in hot water, 

 and the animal placed in warm quarters and rubbed 

 vigorously. 



POISONOUS FOODS 



Under certain conditions, some common foods may 

 be poisonous to animals. Sorghum, especially second 

 growth, may cause death very quickly when animals 

 are pastured on it; in some instances death appears to 

 result from bloating; in other cases the animals die in 

 a few minutes, without the formation of gas in the 

 rumen due to the presence of hydrocyanic acid that is 

 formed in the sorghum under conditions that are not 

 understood. If there is an opportunity for treatment, 

 permanganate of potash in teaspoonful doses, dissolved 



