88 Filices, Fungi [ch. 



died. (6) Chesnut and Wilcox (1901) say that cases of poisoning of 

 horses and cattle have been reported from England and a few localities in 

 the United States, (c) Pott states that when eaten in quantity by 

 cattle Bracken causes hsematuria, and in horses nervous symptoms 

 (brain trouble), sometimes with fatal effects, {d) Pammel also remarks 

 on the believed poisonous character of this plant, (e) In view of its 

 suspected poisonous character feeding experiments were conducted by 

 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries with a large quantity of Bracken, 

 but the results were negative, yielding no experimental proof of the 

 plant being poisonous. One animal — a heifer — consumed 60 lb. of 

 Bracken between Aug. 14 and Aug. 20, and after two meals containing 

 about 30 lb. of Bracken showed only symptoms of indigestion. After 

 the 60 lb. there were no symptoms of illness. It has been thought 

 possible that the so-called Bracken poisoning is due to Potentilla Tor- 

 mentilla {q.v.). 



In 1893 Storrar dealt with the question and expressed the view that 

 any disorder due to Bracken was probably not a toxic effect but a 

 digestive trouble simply {Jour. Comp. Path., 1893). 



Toxic Principle. Continental authorities say that Bracken contains 

 the poisonous Pteritannic acid, which is identical with the Filicic acid 

 of the Male Fern {Aspidium filix-mas). 



Symptoms. In the cases of horses which died Miiller gives the symp- 

 toms as timidity, slower movement or action, loss of balance, dilated 

 pupils, reddening followed by yellowing of the conjunctivae, and slowing 

 of the pulse. 



Pammel notes Bracken as an astringent and anthelmintic, and also 

 says it causes enteritis, spasms, and paralysis. 



REFERENCES. 

 10, 25, .57, 190, 203, 204, 213. 



FUNGI 1. 



Ergot {Claviceps purpurea). This fungus, parasitic on rye and a 

 number of grasses, has long been known to induce distinct poisonous 

 effects on man and domestic animals when ingested in sufficient quantity. 



Ergot must be regarded as a cause of abortion in cows, though 

 somewhat divergent views have been expressed as to the facts, some 



* Poisonous parasitic fungi generally are not dealt with in this volume, but 

 ergot is included because it is widely distributed and perhaps the best known, while 

 its effects have been fully studied. 



