6 



BULLETIN 942, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



they exhibited violent spasms, accompanied with running move- 

 ments. The temperature in the two fatal cases, Sheep 519 and 547, 

 ran for a period very high, reaching a maximum of 107° F. in Sheep 

 519 and 109.6° F. in Sheep 517. In the spasms the latter animal 

 threw itself at times in the opisthotonic position, and occasionally 

 drew its head toward the thorax with a spasmodic motion. 



In comparing these symptoms with those shown by Asclepias 

 galioides there is nearly a complete resemblance. The symptoms 

 exhibited in the fatal case of one could not be distinguished from 

 those seen in the other. In the cases of intoxication with recovery, 

 no spasms appeared, and in this respect A. pumila differs from A. 

 galioides. This, however, may be explained by the fact that A. 

 pumila is much less toxic than A. galioides, and it may be supposed 

 that in the cases of intoxication there was not enough of the poi- 

 sonous principle to produce the spasmodic stage. 



TIME REQUIRED TO PRODUCE SYMPTOMS. 



The following table shows the time that elapsed after the feeding 

 of A. pumila before symptoms appeared: 



Table 2. — Time elapsed after feeding A. pumila before appearance of symptoms. 





Quantity 





Time 





Quantity 





Time 





fed 





elapsed 





fed 





elapsed 



Animal. 



per 100 



Result. 



before 



Animal. 



per 100 



Result. 



before 





pounds of 





symptoms 





pounds of 





symptoms 





animal. 





appeared. 





animal. 





appeared. 





Pound!>. 





Hrs. Mins. 





Pounds. 





Hrs. Mins. 



Sheep 546. . 



0.787 



Sick 



13 40 



Sheep 546... 



1.339 



Sick 



13 40 



Sheep 482.. 



.787 



...do 



30 15 



Sheep 512... 



1.496 



...do 



13 10 



Sheep 486.. 



.827 



...do 



12 37 



Sheep 520... 



1.693 



...do 



13 46 



Sheep 536.. 



.866 



...do 



16 50 



Sheep 539... 



0.787 



...do 



15 50 



Sheep 539.. 



.905 



...do 



16 — 



Sheep 516... 



1.85 



...do 



17 40 



Sheep 552. . 



.984 



...do 



15 45 



Sheep 542 .. . 



1.968 



...do 



13 8 



Sheep 516. . 



.984 



...do 



21 — 



Sheep 519... 



2.165 



Died 



20 20 



Sheep 547.. 



1.063 



...do 



13 8 



Sheep 5 J 7... 



2.559 



...do 



15 50 



Sheep 554.. 



1.181 



...do 



14 13 











The average time of all cases shown in the table was 16 hours 17 



minutes. 



CONTINUATION OF SYMPTOMS. 



It was noticed in the experimental cases of poisoning with A. 

 pumila that the symptoms in some cases continued for a long period 

 of time. The following table shows these facts. This table was 

 prepared by taking the time between the appearance of sjanptoms 

 and the last time when symptoms were noted. The actual periods 

 were probably somewhat greater than those in the table, for in most 

 cases the first symptoms were noted in the morning, and the animals 

 may have been sick earlier. It is probable, too, that the symptoms 

 extended somewhat beyond the time the table would indicate. 



