DISEASES OF. SHEEP 611 



plants had been eaten off without disturbing the roots. Observations 

 in the field, which were confirmed by laboratory experiments, showed 

 that during the early stages of growth the leaves and stems of the 

 water hemlock, including the basal portion, contain sufficient poison 

 to produce death. The roots are generally known to contain a viru- 

 lent poison. 



The remedies which were tried in cases of poisoning by water 

 hemlock include morphine and chloral hydrate, combined in a few 

 cases with emptying of the stomach by means of paunching and the 

 use of cathartics. Potassium permanganate was not tried in any 

 case, for the reason that the violent physiological effects of the poison 

 were already manifested and it seemed necessary to counteract these 

 symptoms. Morphine in one-fourth grain doses was given hypoder- 

 mically to 2 sheep at intervals of five minutes. No decided effects 

 of the morphine were noted until after the third dose, when the 

 sheep became calmer. After receiving five doses both sheep lay 

 down in an apparently stupefied condition, in which they remained 

 for several hours. These sheep recovered after showing the effects 

 of the poison for four or five days. An experiment was tried with 

 chloral hydrate, during which 1 sheep was given one-half ounce in 

 three equal doses at intervals of ten minutes. The effect of this 

 substance was not so immediate, but seemed to be otherwise very 

 similar to that of morphine. The sheep passed into a stupor from 

 which it emerged after two hours. No further violent symptoms 

 were manifested, but the animal did not recover its appetite, and 

 finally died after three days. In another case where 10 cows were 

 poisoned with water hemlock one cow was seen when the first symp- 

 toms of poisoning began to appear. The stomach was at once opened 

 at the point where the ordinary operation of "paunching" is per- 

 formed and the stomach contents removed. Melted lard and an 

 enema of lukewarm water were administered without the addition 

 of direct antidotes. The animal recovered after about two days with- 

 out further care. 



Water hemlock is an especially dangerous plant, since the symp- 

 toms of poisoning are so violent and are manifested so quickly. It 

 is apparent that where several hundred animals are poisoned simul- 

 taneously and may die, as sometimes occurs, within fifteen minutes, 

 great difficulty is experienced in administering even the simplest 

 treatment to each animal. 



The symptoms of poisoning from this plant are signs of acute 

 pain with attempts to run away in any direction in which the animal 

 happens to get started. Cerebral frenzy, accompanied with muscular 

 spasms, are striking features. Respiration is labored and irregular, 

 and the pulse hard and intermittent. Any attempt to manipulate 

 the animal always results in increasing the mental excitement and 

 the violence of the convulsions. In some cases of actual poisoning 

 by this plant animals died within fifteen minutes after the first symp- 

 toms appeared. In other cases, both of young sheep and cattle, the 

 animals lived from two to three hours, finally dying in violent spasms. 



