78 BULLETIlSr 365^ U. S. DEPAETME]SrT OF AGEICULTTJEE. 



quantity of the poisonous substance unless it is given in many doses 

 repeated at very frequent intervals. 



It was noticed early in the work of 1909 that all the poisoned 

 animals were very constipated, and the question was raised whether 

 the removal of this condition might not either prevent the poisoning 

 or predispose the animals to recovery. Cowboys upon the range 

 have remarked that whenever animals conmaQnce to defecate recov- 

 ery is assured. Therefore if the animals were so treated as to keep 

 up a free movement of the bowels, it might be possible to prevent 

 the poisonous action of the larkspur. To test this. No. 602 was 

 brought into the corral on September 8, 1909, for experimental feed- 

 ing. Feeding of Delphinium harheyi was commenced on September 

 9, using the leaves, stems, and fruit of material that had been col- 

 lected at Kebler Pass. Although this material was mature, it was 

 green and fresh. Feeding was continued to September 16. During 

 this time the animal, which weighed about 450 pounds, ate 388.25 

 pounds of the plant, or, on the basis of 1,000 pounds of weight, 

 862.8 pounds. On September 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 she re- 

 ceived 4 ounces of magnesium sulphate in the drinking water. In 

 spite of the large quantity of larkspur eaten the animal showed not 

 the slightest eifect of poisoning. The bowels were kept rather more 

 loose than normal. Inasmuch as the general results of the experi- 

 mental work show that the larkspur as it grows older loses much 

 of its toxicity, the question was raised whether the failure to poison 

 this animal was not due to the fact that the larkspur was old and 

 had perhaps lost some of its poisonous properties. In order to test 

 this No. 112 was brought into the corrals on September 15, and feed- 

 ing was commenced on September 16 of material obtained from the 

 same place as that fed to No. 602. She was fed during September 

 16 and 17 79|^ pounds, or<, on the basis of 1,000 pounds of weight, 

 130 pounds. At 5.35 p. m. on September 17 she was found down in 

 the corrals. At 5.38 she was disgorging material from the rumen, 

 this material consisting of larkspur and water, part of it passing 

 up through the nostrils and interfering with her breathing. At 

 5.42 she was raised up in order that the trachea might be less likely 

 to be filled with the vomited material. She was hardly able to hold 

 up her head. There was some twitching of the flank muscles and 

 the muscles of the forelegs. Respiration at this time was very slow 

 and shallow. The pulse could not be found at all. At 5.48 she was 

 dead. This animal during the feeding was very much constipated. 

 She received larkspur from the same localities as that fed to No. 

 602, and the material was in practically the same condition. It 

 should be noted', too, that not only did No. 602 receive a much larger 

 total quantity of larkspur, but the daily feeding also was very much 



