Loco Poisoning. Oxytropis Lamberti. 139 



Miss C. M. Watson, of Ann Arbor, Mich., succeeded in sepa- 

 rating a small amount of alkaloid from the root of Oxytropis 

 Lamberti, but did not apply the crucial test of physiological ex- 

 periment. In the Report of the Department of Agriculture for 

 1879, are given analy.ses of Oxytropis Lamberti, Astragalus 

 Mollissimus and Sophora Speciosa, in each of which a small 

 amount of alkaloid was found. 



In 1888-9, Dr. Mary Gage Day, of Wichita, Kansas, made care- 

 ful experiments on cats and rabbits, under the supervision of Dr. 

 Vaughan in the Michigan Laboratory of Hygiene. She used a 

 decoction of roots, stems and leaves of plants gathered in Sep- 

 tember and gave 60 to 70 c.c. of this to a half-grown vigorous kit- 

 ten daily, along with abundance of milk and other food. In two 

 days the kitten became less active, showed rough coat, increased 

 desire for the loco, with partial loss of appetite for other food, 

 diarrhoea came on, and retching and vomiting occasionally oc- 

 curred. The expression became peculiar and characteri.stic. 

 These symptoms increased, and emaciation advanced, and on the 

 1 8th day periods of convulsive excitement supervened. These 

 were sometimes tetanic, the head being thrown backward and the 

 mouth frothing. At other times the kitten stood on its hind 

 limbs and struck the air with its fore paws, then fell backward 

 and threw itself from side to side. There were short intervals 

 of quiet, life being indicated by breathing only. After 36 hours 

 (>f these intermittent convulsions paraplegia set in, and the kitten 

 died in two hours. There was no apparent lo.ss of con.sciousness 

 before death. 



Post mortem examination revealed gastric and duodenal ulcers, 

 some of which were nearly perforating. The heart was in 

 diastole ; l)rain and myel appeared normal ; the entire body 

 anaemic. 



To a vigorous adult cat 60 c.c. to 70 c.c. of a more concentrated 

 solution were given with other food. The results were essentially 

 the same. By the twelfth day the cat was wasted to a skeleton 

 and very weak. Paralysis of the hind limbs came on and the 

 cat died on the thirteenth day. 



As a test experiment, two strong young cats were confined in the 

 same place, fed from the same dish, and treated in ever}^ way the 

 same, except that the one was fed daily a decoction of the loco. 



