LOCO WEEDS AND OTHER POISONOUS PLANTS 79 



the nervous condition of the horses, Fowler's solution in daily .doses of 

 4 to 6 drams in the drinking water was found best. The use of strych- 

 nin was found best for cattle. Sodium cacodylate administered hypo- 

 dermically to cattle in injections of 6 grains, or 0.4 gram, daily gave 

 beneficial results. Recovery is generally shown with chronically locoed 

 animals. Loco weeds may be destroyed by cutting off below the crown of 

 buds, because sprouting is rendered impossible. 



Rattle-box (Crotalaria sagittalis). This is an annual plant growing 

 3 inches to a foot high with small straight root and branched stem with 

 yellow flowers and an inflated pod, which finally contains a lot of loose seeds 

 which rattle about when the pod is dry. The plant is distributed from 

 Maine to Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and northern Texas. 

 It is very common on the sandbars of the Missouri River, hence the '^disease 

 produced by it which resembles in general that induced by loco weeds, is 

 known as the Missouri Bottom Disease. Animals have been locoed 

 by eating rattle-box in New Jersey. 



Box (Buxus sempermrens) . This is a tall, evergreen shrub with small, 

 dark-green, leathery, elliptical leaves. The flowers are small and rather 

 inconspicuous. The shrub has been used for hedges in old-fashioned 

 gardens and has been much planted in cemeteries. All parts of the 

 plant are bitter and poisonous. Animals, horses and pigs, may browse 

 upon box, or eat the hedge trimmings and be killed. Buxin is the toxic 

 alkaloid, while three other substances have been isolated from the plant. 

 Small amounts of box have an emetic and purgative action. The symp- 

 toms of poisoning are nervous symptoms, lameness, muscular tremors, 

 vertigo, then a period of coma. Large amounts cause death preceded by 

 intense abdominal pains, dysentery, tenesmus, convulsions, circulatory 

 and respiratory troubles. Pigs are most susceptible displaying thirst, 

 uncertain movements, delirium. Death occurs in twenty-four hours. 



Spurges (Euphorbia spp.). The spurges are erect, spreading or pros- 

 trate herbs, with milky, acid juice and opposite, or alternate leaves, the 

 upper in whorls and frequently colored at the tops. The acrid, milky 

 juice is poisonous, but poisoning cases are rare because cattle usually 

 rarely eat of them because the taste is repulsive. Euphorbia marginata 

 is one of the many species in the United States. In Texas, it is used in 

 the branding of cattle. The seeds of this species have proved nearly 

 fatal to children that have eaten them. Dr. Millspaugh gives the physio- 

 logical action of the caper spurge (Euphorbia Lathyris] as staring, wide- 



