DISEASES OF CATTLE 397 



will frequently produce convulsions, which, if the disease is well ad- 

 vanced, have a temporarily prostrating effect upon the animal. Al- 

 though loco poisoning is a nervous affection, emaciation is one of the 

 most noticeable symptoms. The taste for the weed becomes stronger, 

 the victim preferring it to other food. When it is taken in large 

 quantities delirium is produced and the animal becomes vicious. If 

 the cause be removed before too much injury is done, recovery is 

 likely to take place. 



Medicinal treatment seems to be of little avail. Comfortable 

 stabling, quiet, and a liberal supply of wholesome food tend to coun- 

 teract the poisonous effect of the plant and build up the depleted 

 forces. 



Laurel Poisoning. The mountain laurel, the rhododendron, 

 and the bay tree are poisonous for cattle. The foliage of these plants 

 is most likely to be eaten in the late winter or spring, when there is 

 little forage available. The effect is to cause great mental excite- 

 ment, salivation, retching, colic, diarrhea, nerve exhaustion, and 

 paralysis. 



The treatment consists in administering protectives to soothe 

 the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane, and stimulants to keep up 

 the action of the heart and general strength. For this purpose one 

 may use coffee, whisky, or ammonia. 



COTTON SEED POISONING. 



Up to the present time it can be said that the toxic principle of 

 cotton seed is known only by its effects on live stock when fed in 

 undue amount. Its study is rendered more difficult by the variability 

 which has been often noticed in the effects on animals consuming 

 similar amounts of cotton seed meal and apparently under similar 

 conditions, also by its slowness of action, which calls for prolonged 

 feeding tests before its effects are exhibited. The effects also are not 

 always sufficiently plain or uniform to give much exactness to this 

 experimental mode of studying the question. It has not been found 

 possible to obtain from cotton seed any substance in concentrated 

 form capable of causing acute poisoning in single doses. Nor can 

 cotton seed meal be fed to any class of animals in sufficient amount 

 to produce obvious toxic effects (other than intestinal derangement) 

 except after prolonged feeding. The most characteristic effects and 

 those most quickly produced, have been observed in pigs where lethal 

 poisoning may occur in three to four weeks. Growing and fattening 

 cattle tolerate high feeding with cotton seed or meal for 60 to 90 

 days before showing effects attributable to the cumulative action of 

 the poison, although digestive derangement may occur at an early 

 stage. On other kinds of stock fewer observations have been made, 

 but in poultry no uniform symptoms occur, according to our expe- 

 rience, although they do not do well on this feed. 



The most notable variation in the effects of cotton seed on live 

 stock is seen in the case of milch cows during lactation as compared 

 with growing and fattening cattle. This relative immunity is pos- 

 sessed also by other kinds of stock during lactation. 



