lAEKSPUK POISOITIit^rG OF LIVE STOCK. 77 



It should be borne in mind also that in any given region, climatic 

 conditions vary. In a dry, hot season the larkspurs will ripen 

 earlier, while in a cold, wet season the time of blossoming and form- 

 ing of seed may be much delayed. 



Referring to the work of Loy, Heyl, and Hepner, which is noticed 

 on page 11, it will be seen that their results in regard to the toxicity 

 of different parts of the plant correspond fairly well to the results 

 obtained in the field experimentation. It may be noted that the 

 large content of alkaloid in the leaf and stem of Delphirdum geyeri 

 as compared with the other species may be accounted for by the fact 

 that the plant was collected early in the season before blossoming, 

 at the time when it might be expected to be more toxic, while the 

 Delphinium, glcmcuTrb was collected at the full maturity of the plant 

 and very likely at a time when the toxicity was beginning to diminish. 



ANTIDOTAL TREATMENT OF CASES OF LARKSPUR POISONING. 



The early treatment of larkspur poisoning at the Mount Carbon 

 station was based upon the recommendations in the literature of the 

 subject. Wilcox, 1897, page 45, recommends the use of atropin 

 sulphate, stating that he had had good results with sheep in Montana. 

 Chesnut and Wilcox, 1901, pages 72 and 80, recommend atropin for 

 counteracting the physiological effects, and suggest that alcoholic 

 stimulants and ammonia can be used to advantage. They recommend 

 also permanganate of potassium and sulphate of aluminium. Craw- 

 ford, 1907, pages 9 and 10, states that poisoning takes place more 

 quickly when elimination is interfered with, as, for example, by tieing 

 the ureter of the animal experimented upon. It seemed best, therefore, 

 in the experimental work at Mount Carbon to make trial of atropin, 

 potassium permanganate, and caffein sodio-benzoate. The latter 

 substance was used partly because it is a heart stimulant and partly 

 because it is a diuretic, on the assumption that stimulation of the 

 kidneys might aid in the elimination of the poison. In several cases 

 during the first season's work at Mount Carbon these remedies were 

 used, and while all of the animals to which the remedies were given 

 recovered, there was reason to think that none of the remedial meas- 

 ures were especially effective. On comparison of the animals treated 

 with those not treated, it could not be shown that there were any 

 advantageous effects from the administration of these remedies. 



Reference may be made here to the experiments detailed in pages 

 41 to 43 of United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 125, 

 "Zygadenus, or Death Camas," in which it is shown that good re- 

 sults can not be reasonably expected from an antidotal remedy like 

 potassium permanganate, given per os to a ruminant, inasmuch as 

 the antidote is not likely to come in contact with any considerable 



