40. BULLETIN 125, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



drench given to No. 212 were included 4 grams of tannic acid. This 

 sheep had no symptoms of illness, while No. 213 died 1 hour and 17 min- 

 utes after the administration of the drench. These two sheep were of 

 very nearly equal weight and the dose was the same (0.55 pound) per 

 hundredweight of animal. There was every reason to expect similar 

 results except for the effect of the tannic acid. Difference of indi- 

 vidual susceptibility would seem to be eliminated in this instance, in 

 which one animal died and the other showed no symptoms of poisoning. 



During the season of 1913, four animals which had been fed on 

 Zygadenus venenosus were given doses of tannic acid after toxic 

 symptoms were well developed. All of these animals recovered. 

 These cases, however, were not connected up with control cases, 

 and it is possible that all would have recovered without any remedial 

 aid. 



The general result of all the experiments in 1913 with tannic acid 

 indicated that it can be used with beneficial results. The experiments 

 seemed also to indicate very clearly that, in vitro, the tannic acid was 

 much more effective than potassium permaganate as an antidote for 

 the Zygadenus alkaloid. 



In 1914, a large number of cases were treated with tannic acid, 

 in order to try it out thoroughly. In most of these experiments one 

 or more control animals were used. Where the tannic acid was 

 administered in a single dose, in 19 cases, there were only two deaths; 

 in most of these cases, however, the Zygadenus was not given in a 

 quantity necessarily fatal. 



A study of the cases in which there was a control shows apparently 

 beneficial results in some instances. For example, sheep Nos. 249 

 and 251 received the same quantity of Zygadenus on July 9; No. 249 

 died, while No. 251, which received a dose of tannic acid, lived. 



Sheep Nos. 229 and 235 were fed the same quantity of Zygadenus 

 on June 3. No. 229 was treated with tannic acid and was not so sick 

 as No. 235. On the other hand, Nos. 239 and 256 were fed on June 

 16 with the same quantity, and No. 239, which received the tannic 

 acid, had more marked symptoms than No. 256. Sheep Nos. 269, 

 255, and 282 were fed the same quantity of Zygadenus on June 15 

 and June 16. Tannic acid was administered to Nos. 269 and 282; 

 both of these animals were sick, while No. 255 exhibited no symp- 

 toms. A consideration of all these cases shows that tannic acid in 

 single doses can not be considered an effective remedj^, although 

 under favorable conditions some cases may be benefited. 



SODIUM BICARBONATE. 



It was suggested by Mr. O. F. Black that, inasmuch as alkaloids 

 are, to a large extent, insoluble in an alkaline solution, sodium bicar- 

 bonate might serve to prevent the solution and absorption of the 



