DEATH CAMAS SPECIES, ZYGADENUS PANICULATUS. H 



Temperature. In the experimental work of 1919, Cattle 826 was 

 the only case in cattle that showed a depression of temperature. Of 

 the 4 sheep, 3 had a low temperature. In 1920, the 5 head of cattle 

 exhibited a lowered temperature, and of the 13 sheep all but 2 showed 

 the same' effect of the plant. In 1921, 4 of the 6 sheep had a lower 

 temperature. This condition of temperature was distinct, but ordi- 

 narily the temperature was not very low. The lowest was 98.4 F., 

 which was noted in two cases. One observation of 98.8 F. was 

 made, two of. 99 F., and one of 99.6 F. More commonly the 

 temperature did not go below 100 F. and could not be considered 

 as distinctly subnormal. There was, nevertheless, in most cases, a 

 definite lowering of temperature. This is shown in the temperature 

 curves of Sheep 602, Sheep 569, and less markedly in Cattle 863. In 

 the case of Sheep 569 a number of temperatures were recorded besides 

 those of morning and night shown in the diagram, but these addi- 

 tional observations did not alter the character of the curve. 



In the work carried on at Greycliff, Mont., on the Zygadenus which 

 is stated in Bulletin 125 to be Z. venenosus, and which we are now 

 informed was Z. gramineus, it was noted that a depression in tem- 

 perature sometimes appeared when no other symptoms were seen. 

 It was questioned whether the same phenomena might not occur in 

 the cases receiving Z. paniculatus. The only case of this character 

 was Sheep 594, which in 5 days, receiving 2.105 pounds, had no 

 noted symptoms except a lowering of temperature. 



In the discussion of the Montana work, in Bulletin 125, the state- 

 ment was made that a low temperature coulpl hardly be considered 

 as diagnostic of Zygadenus poisoning. The additional work which 

 has been carried on with Z. paniculatus shows that while one or a 

 few observations are not diagnostic, if a fairly complete record is 

 made after the feeding of the plant to the animal, this record when 

 plotted is pretty certain to indicate whether any toxic effect has 

 been produced. 



Pulse. The pulse rate in the sick sheep varied from 52 to 220. 

 The rate of 220 was shown by Sheep 644, which had pneumonia. 

 In the sick cattle it varied from 48 to 210. This latter figure, how- 

 ever, was observed in an excited animal before the feeding of the 

 plant. The highest rate after the feeding of the plant was 84. In 

 2 or 3 of the sheep the pulse rate was slightly higher during the de- 

 pression of temperature, but in most cases the curve of the pulse 

 followed rather closely the curve of temperature, being low when 

 the temperature was low and rapid when the temperature was high. 

 In some cases it was weak and in some intermittent. 



Respiration. There was some irregularity in respiration, but in 

 general the rate of respiration varied, much like that of the pulse. 

 It was noted in Bulletin 125, in regard to Z. gramineus, that there 



