310 PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



animals which died resembled those of either acute or chronic smut 

 poisoning (ergotism). 



While the " black strap " used in sheep feeding does not carry the infec- 

 tion herein referred to, it no doubt serves as a food for the parasitic organ- 

 ism, and it is advised not to use it with barley screenings or with any other 

 forage material which may contain the spores of the parasite in question. 

 The black strap in all probability hastens the growth and multiplication 

 of the vegetative cells of the toxigenic parasite. 



I would advise that the lots of barley and of barley screenings of which 

 samples were submitted for experimentation, be not fed to horses, cattle, 

 sheep or rabbits. It is highly probable that it might be fed to hogs with 

 impunity, as these animals are comparatively immune to most toxic and 

 toxigenic foods. I would also advise the following: 



1. That barley screenings be not fed to sheep, young cattle, goats or 

 rabbits. It would, in fact, be inadvisable to feed this material to any 

 animals excepting, perhaps, hogs. 



2. A new lot of barley or barley screenings should be tested as follows 

 before feeding it: 



(a) Feed the barley or barley screenings to several young rabbits 

 (these animals are quite susceptible to the poison). If one or more die 

 within 10 to 48 hours the article in question should be rejected. 



(b) If none of the experimental rabbits die within 48 hours, feed a 

 reasonable allowance to several heads of sheep, and if no deaths or illness 

 results within 48 hours, the article in question may then be fed to the entire 

 herd, allowing rather scant portion at first. 



Among the causes which have been suggested as being responsible 

 for the death of the sheep are: 



1. Acute Gastritis. The autopsies showed no evidence of such disease. 



2 . Chemical Poisons. The findings of the city toxicologist were negative. 



3. Added Poisonous Weeds. The microscopical findings were wholly 

 negative. 



4. Botulism. Symptoms not those of botulism. 



5. Ergotism. Symptoms not those of ergot or smut poisoning. 



6. Bloating. No evidence of bloating. 



7. Use of Fermented Barley. Barley and screenings in question showed 

 no signs of ever having undergone fermentation. 



8. Overfeeding. Denied by Taafe and Co. and autopsies showed no 

 evidence of overfeeding. 



9. Alfalfa. Control tests proved that the alfalfa used (dried, shredded 

 or ground alfalfa) was not poisonous. 



10. Green Alfalfa. The poisoned animals were not fed green alfalfa. 

 The details of the experiments and observations upon which this 



