DISEASES OF SHEEP 601 



poisoning of animals. Different places for bleeding, which are sup- 

 posed to have more beneficial effects than any other are the root of 

 the tail, the ear, the inside of the lips, or the roof of the mouth. 

 Bleeding at one or the other of these places is claimed to be almost 

 uniformly efficacious. With regard to this practice, it is obvious that 

 it will have a good or bad effect according to the symptoms of the 

 poisoned animals. If the poisonous plants which have been eaten 

 have a depressant action upon the heart and circulation, the blood 

 pressure would be further lowered by drawing blood, and the practice 

 should not be indulged in. In a case of poisoning, where the chief 

 symptoms are increased blood pressure, accompanied by cerebral ex- 

 citement and a hard pulse, the bleeding might have a good effect. 



Melted lard or fat pork is frequently administered in cases of 

 plant poisoning, especially in ''bloat." These substances have a laxa- 

 tive action which may help to eliminate the unabsorbed parts of the 

 stomach contents. The lard may hinder the absorption of the poi- 

 sonous substances by the formation of an oily coating on the wall of 

 the stomach. Drenches of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) are fre- 

 quently given in cases of poisoning where an unusual amount of acid 

 in the stomach is suspected. Soda often has a good effect in the case 

 of bloat from eating large quantities of clover or alfalfa. Vinegar is 

 another much used popular remedy for plant poisoning. It is admin- 

 istered when the stomach contents are believed to be strongly alkaline. 

 One stockman stated that he had frequently administered both soda 

 and vinegar at the same time with beneficial results. It would seem, 

 however, that these substances would naturally neutralize one another 

 in the stomach cavity. 



During the season of 1900 the best success in the treatment of 

 animals poisoned with noxious plants was obtained from the use of 

 permanganate of potash. This substance is well known as an anti- 

 septic in surgery, as well as for internal use. Its antiseptic action is 

 due to its great oxidizing power. This substance was used in cases of 

 poisoning for the purpose of destroying such portions of the poison- 

 ous alkaloids as still remained in the stomach. It was not supposed 

 that permanganate of potash would exercise any noticeable effect as a 

 physiological antidote of plant poisons; but it was believed, on the 

 other hand, that the pronounced oxidizing power of potassium per- 

 manganate would destroy plant alkaloids which had not been ab- 

 sorbed from the stomach, and thus enable the animal to recover, pro- 

 vided a fatal dose of the poison had not already been absorbed. The 

 permanganate of potash was administered in three different ways 

 as a drench, by allowing the animals to drink it, and as a direct in- 

 jection through the walls of the stomach. No pronounced advantage 

 was noted in favor of any method. The drenching would perhaps be 

 preferred by stockmen generally as being more simple and conven- 

 ient of application. The action of the potassium permanganate is 

 perhaps a little more direct and prompt, if a solution is injected di- 

 rectly into the stomach by means of a syringe. This method, how- 

 ever, requires a little more time than drenching, and, although fairly 



