POISONS AND POISONING. 63 



Treatment. — The best method is to put the patient under the influ- 

 ence of chloral, chloroform, or ether, and keep it there continuously 

 until the effect of the poison has passed off. Alcohol may be given 

 in large doses. 



ACONITE POISONING. 



In recent years tincture of aconite has become a popular stable 

 remedy. If an animal is ailing, aconite is given whether indicated 

 or not. Fortunately the dose used is generally small, and for this 

 reason the damage done is much less than it would otherwise be. 

 Aconite is one of the most deadly poisons laiown. It produces 

 paralysis of motion and sensation, depresses the heart's action, and 

 causes death by paralysis of respiration. In large doses it causes 

 profuse salivation, champing of the jaws, and attempts at swallow- 

 ing. If not sufficient to cause death, there is impaired appetite with 

 more or less nausea for some time after. In poisonous doses it causes 

 the animal to tremble violently, to lose power to support itself, and 

 brings on slight convulsions, with perspiration. The pulse is de- 

 pressed, irregular, and afterwards intermittent. 



Treatment. — The chemical antidote is tannic acid, which forms an 

 insoluble compound with the aconitin. The depressing effect on the 

 heart should be counterated by the use of ammonia, digitalis, alcohol, 

 camphor, or other diffusible stimulants, which have a physiological 

 effect opposite to aconite. 



POISONOUS PLANTS. 



An important group of poisons may be classed under this head. 

 In some cases it is poison naturally belonging to the plant; in other 

 cases the poisonous principle is developed in what would otherwise 

 be harmless plants as a plant disease, or as a fermentation or putre- 

 faction due to bacterial growth and observed in forage, grain, or 

 meat that has become heated, damaged, or " spoilt." 



The subject of poisonous plants is an important one and is of 

 especial interest to those using the western stock ranges, for it is 

 probable that there is no other single cause producing so many fatali- 

 ties. In this article only a few of the more important plants are 

 treated in a brief way, for an extended treatise would be necessary 

 if the subject were to be handled adequately. Further information 

 should be sought in the more elaborate publications. Many of the 

 American poisonous plants have been treated in bulletins issued 

 from the United States Department of Agriculture. 



Treatment for plant poisoning. — Remedies given by the mouth in 

 most cases fail to give relief to cattle affected by poisonous plants. 

 The material of the poisonous plant in the first stomach is not very 

 largely affected by a remedy given as a drench. If any beneficial 



