LATIIYRIASIS. 491 



ground. Cattle seem to resist this poisonous affect, but it lias 

 been stated that the seeds are injurious to milch cows, and that 

 sheep fed on small quantities receive no harm. Pigeons are 

 said to lose the power of flight. Geese eat them with impunity. 

 Poultry do not eat them readily. 



The true nature of the poison is not satisfactorily determined, 

 but may be a volatile alkaloid. Astier claims to have isolated 

 an alkaloid. Further experience has convinced me that the 

 organism found in an extravasate form around the throat of 

 one of the Liverpool horses was an accidental complication, as 

 extravasation was not witnessed in any except the Liverpool 

 horses. The mutters in that instance were very dirty, and 

 fouled with rodent excrement, from which a microbe was cul- 

 tivated homologous in appearance with that found in the 

 extravasate. 



The North of England Institute of Mining Engineers, at a 

 meeting held at Newcastle-on-Tyne, December 14, 1895, formu- 

 lated the opinion " that a reasonable quantity of these peas is 

 eaten with impunity by pit horses in that district." The 

 "reasonable quantity" referred to turns out to be, according 

 to the statement of Mr. Hunting, a quarter of a pound per 

 day, and from what is known I have no doubt but this is a 

 correct statement. If this could be correctly carried out, doubt- 

 less it is probable that no bad effects would follow. To my 

 mind, however, there is a risk of imperfect mixing, which would 

 result in a greater share of the seeds being eaten by one horse 

 than by another. 



At the same meeting Mr. Clement Stephenson stated that Mr. 

 W. Hunter, M.RC.V.S., Newcastle-upon-Tyne, had discovered 

 that all the affected horses, upon which tracheotomy had been 

 performed, had recovered. Mr. Hunter, however, stated that 

 they had not entirely recovered, but had greatly improved in 

 their breathing, and worked daily without distress, although the 

 tubes had been removed some months ago. 



In order to prove the extreme danger of feeding upon full 

 quantities of the lathyrus, I annex a letter from Mr. Green, 

 M.E.C.V.S., Dudley, who a short time ago had several cases under 

 treatment, and in which the proprietor of the horses obtained 

 damages from the corn dealer. — (See Report of the Dudley cases 

 in Veterinary Periodicals.) 



