WESTERN" SNEEZEWEED AS A POISONOUS PLANT. 21 



The marc from this extraction still contained some of the glucosid. 

 It was dried and tested for toxicity. Small amounts fed to sheep 

 caused nausea. Sheep 445 was force-fed small amounts of this marc 

 moistened with water 3 times a day for 12 days, receiving in all 30 

 doses of marc. The animal developed the characteristic spewing 

 and died on the twelfth day. 



9. Nauseant substances. — (a) In order to investigate the question 

 of whether the glucosid or the water-insoluble constituents of the 

 plant are responsible for the spewing cases, 1,500 grams of the marc 

 from number 8 was taken. This had been extracted with water to 

 which it yielded part of its dugaldin, but still contained resins, 

 fats, etc. It was thoroughly extracted with alcohol, which removed 

 all the bitterness. The marc from this alcohol extraction was care- 

 fully dried and force-fed in quantity to a sheep without producing 

 any effect. The alcohol was distilled off the extract which was 

 green, fatty, and bitterless, the glucosid having been decomposed 

 by the heat to which it had been subjected during the distillation. 

 The alcohol extract was treated with chloroform, when about 75 

 per cent of it dissolved. The residue was fed to Sheep 447 and pro- 

 duced no effect. The chloroform was removed from the soluble 

 portion and this residue was fed to Sheep 456 without effect. 



(6) Two and one-half kilograms of the marc from number 8 was 

 boiled two hours with 9 liters of (1 per cent) sodium-hydroxid solu- 

 tion and the liquid portion was pressed out. The insoluble matter 

 was again boiled two hours with 9 liters of water, which was pressed 

 out. Both of these liquids gelated on cooling. The residue was 

 boiled a third time for two hours with 9 liters of water and pressed 

 out. The mixed colates were heated to boiling and acidified with 

 hydrochloric acid, when a curdy, green precipitate in quantity fell. 

 This was washed thoroughly and tested for toxicity. Sheep 428 

 received one-fourth of it orally and showed no effect. 



(c) The marc was extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid, which 

 dissolved a small quantity of inorganic matter. It was then washed, 

 dried, and tested on sheep, when it was found nontoxic. 



10. Alcohol-soluble constituents. — Fifty-six and one-half pounds of 

 fresh radical leaves were shredded in a meat chopper and immediately 

 put into two 5-gallon cans, which were then filled up with strong 

 alcohol and sealed. After two months the cans were opened. The 

 material was packed in percolators and exhausted with alcohol. 

 The marc from this extraction was carefully dried and tested for 

 toxicity. A large part of it was fed to Sheep 541 for an extended 

 period without producing any abnormal conditions. 



From the alcohol extract the glucosid was isolated, but owing 

 to much decomposition only a small amount was obtained. 



