CICUTA, OR WATER HEMLOCK. 17 



Two sheep, Nos. 144 and 148, were fed upon the seeds and seed 

 stems, No. 148 eatmg 8.4 pounds per 100 pounds of weight and No. 

 144 receiving 52.9 pounds, or about one-half its own weight. This 

 latter quantity was fed in about a week's time. These animals suffered 

 no harm. 



In order to make certain that a large amount of the seeds was 

 taken in a short time, four animals were drenched with the seeds 

 ground up and mixed with enough water to make it possible to 

 administer them in this manner. No. 135 received in two days 1.6 

 pounds of seed, No. 142 in one day received 2.3 pounds, No. 151 

 in one day received 3.6 pounds, and No. 140 in one day received 3.8 

 pounds. Of these animals No. 142 was the only one that sustained 

 any harm. 



No. 142 was brought in for feeding on August 18, 1911, weighing 

 at that time 117 pounds. On'August 19, at 9.50 a. m., it was given, 

 in a drench with about H quarts of water, 200 grams of ground 

 Cicuta seed. This dose was repeated at 11.15 a. m., 1.50, 3.00, 7.30, 

 and 9.30 p. m. This sheep was given a little hay on August 20, and 

 on August 21, when an attempt was made to turn it out of the 

 corral, it ran part way round the corral, stood, and leaned against 

 the fence, trembling all over. It moved to another part of the 

 corral, and fell there, with the head thrown back, and went into 

 convulsions. These lasted about one minute. The teeth were grated 

 and the muscles contracted. It soon got up, but appeared for several 

 minutes as though dazed. It breathed rapidly for a time and some 

 trembling was noticed for about 15 minutes. The next day, how- 

 ever, it appeared to be aU right. 



The symptoms were so much hke Cicuta poisoning that this con- 

 dition was considered as due to the effect of the Cicuta seeds, although 

 the poisoning was strangely delayed. None of the animals suffered 

 any harm from the material which they received as a drench. 



GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 



SYMPTOMS OF CICUTA POISONING. 



Perhaps no better description of Cicuta poisoning has ever been 

 written than that given in 1679 by Wepfer, who tells how children after 

 eating the roots returned home "laeti," one of the little girls tearfully 

 complaining of the selfishness of the others in not giving her her share 

 of the root; he then goes on to teU the symptoms exhibited by each 

 of the children. The following is his description of one case : 



Jacobus Maeder, puer sex annorum, capillis albis praeditus, tener vegetus tamen, 

 domum rediit hilaris ac subridens, quasi re bene gesta: paulo post conquer ebatur, de 

 praecordiorum dolore & vix verbum effatus, humi prostratus urinam magno impetu ad 



