20 



Case No. 15 No. 1. 



A small yearling calf was fed 8 ozs., of which almost 1 oz. was left 

 uneaten at 9 : 30 a. m. At 9 : 50 a. m. he was sick. Most of the time 

 he lay on his side and at frequent intervals he had spasms when his 

 head would be pulled back and legs stretched out. At 10 : 15 the res- 

 piration was 10 ; and he appeared to be dying. He died at 10 : 20 a. m. 



The autopsy revealed no lesions. 



Symptoms of Poisoning. 



The first symptom noted was abnormal breathing, usually very 

 rapid, often as high as 150 per minute, in sheep. In other cases it was 

 slow and deep. As symptoms of poisoning developed, the animal 

 breathed quite freely through the mouth, often with the tongue hang- 

 ing, out. This abnormal breathing was often accompanied by trem- 

 bling or jerking movements of the muscles. In severe cases these 

 jerking movements would develop into spasms or convulsions. After 

 these started the animal would lie on its side panting through the wide- 

 open mouth. From the time the animal ^rent down until partial 

 recovery or death there would be a series of convulsions at short inter- 

 vals. Several of the animals vomited just before death, drawing part of 

 the regurgitated material into the lungs, which may have hastened 

 death. 



Autopsy Findings. 



The autopsy findings are few and not characteristic in any way, 

 with the possible exception of congestion of the lungs. Fifty per cent 

 of the cases showed endocardial or epicardial hemorrhages and forty 

 per cent a spleen that was dark and mushy. In general, the blood was 

 darker than normal and formed a clot that was rather soft. The 

 moderate congestion observed in the intestinal tract is of little signifi- 

 cance, and, because of the lack of uniformity of the location of the 

 lesion, might be due to other causes. No odor of cyanide was noted in 

 any of the cases ; but all the autopsies were made in the open. 



If these deaths were due to cyanide poisoning as indicated by the 

 symptoms and chemical findings, the autopsy findings would probably 

 be negligible. Various writers on toxicology consider the post-mortem 

 changes in cyanide poisoning as of little aid in diagnosis. Nunn 

 (Veterinary Toxicology, 1907, p. 130) states: "The post-mortem 

 appearances are nothing characteristic, excepting the pervading smell 

 of almonds from the intestines and in a lesser degree from the whole 

 body." Friedberger and Frohner (Veterinary Pathology, Vol. I, 

 Translation by Hayes, Sixth Edition 1908, p. 236) say: "Autopsy 

 shows bright-red blood in acute cases, brown when chronic; smell of 

 bitter almonds ; signs of asphyxia." 



Feeding Conditions under which Poisoning by Arrow-Grass Is Likely to Occur. 



Few cases of natural poisoning have been observed. In one instance 

 an owner, of live stock stated that he had had a number of cows in 

 corral on dry feed for some time. On releasing them they went 

 directly to a patch of arrow-grass which they ate greedily. There was 

 very little grass or sedge in the patch. The poisonous material was 

 therefore but little diluted, and the death of several animals soon fol- 

 lowed. The same stockman reported that he was very likely to lose 

 animals when they were fed from a stack of wild-grass hay cut on 



