POISONS AND THEIR ANTIDOTES. 571 



has been estimated that in Montana alone, over 3,000 sheep died in one 

 year from this cause. The Death 0am a prefers the moist, shallow basins 

 of the western mountain pastures and plains. The plant itself is smooth, 

 with la single stem, resembling the onion. In height it varies from 6 

 inches to 3 feet. Under ground there is an onion-like growth. The leaves 

 dry up about midsummer and after this the danger is very slight. The 

 flowers form a cluster and are yellow or yellowish white. The poisonous 

 principle of this plant apparently resides in the fresh stem or bulb. It is 

 owing to this that poisoning seldom occurs after the leaves are dry unless 

 the stock get at the bulb. 



Larkspurs: There are quite a number of species of Larkspurs, the 

 majority of which are very serious when considering poisonous plants. 

 They are erect herbs, with elongated clusters of showy blue flowers. It is 

 from a peculiar projection on the flowers that the plant gets its name. 



Symptoms: The symptoms from poisoning by this plant are practically 

 the same with all the difl'erent species. The symi)toiiis resemble aconite 

 poisoning. In fact, the characteristic alkaloid of the larkspurs is similar 

 in many respects to aconite. The effects on the system of larkspur poison- 

 ing and aconite poisoning are practically the same. The most noticeable 

 symptoms are muscular spasms and a stiff, irregular, straddling walk, 

 with persistent swallowing motions. 



Treatment : Treatment for larkspur poisoning sliould be the same as for 

 aconite. Belladonna or Atropia (the alkaloid of belladonna) has given 

 very satisfactory results. The dose of atropia given with hypodermic 

 syringe should be % to 1 grain for cattle and hoi-ses and 1-10 to 1-3 grain 

 for sheep. 



General Treatment: As it is sometimes difficult to determine just what 

 particular kind of plant the animal has been poisoned by, it will be ad- 

 visable to consider a general treatment for all kinds of plant poisonings. 



Keej) on hand an ounce each of Permanganate of Potash and Alumi- 

 num Sulphate. When needed these should be dissolved in three quarts of 

 wat«r, care being exercised that all of the drugs are in solution, as other- 

 wise they will settle to the bottom and the last dose will be too strong. The 

 Alumiiuim Sulphate may be dissolved in the three quarts of water and 

 kept on hand, tightly corked, but the Permanganate of Potash should not 

 be added until needed, as itr deteriorates very rapidly. 



Dose of the Above: For horses, a single dose of the above solution is 

 4 ounces ; cattle, 8 ounces ; and sheep, 1 ounce. 



