20 BULLETIN 69^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUKE. 



kidneys, and membranes of the central nervous system showed 

 strong congestion. The mucous membrane of the trachea and 

 bronchi was inflamed, as were also the iimer walls of the small intes- 

 tine and stomach and in some cases other parts of the alimentary 

 canal. 



In the kidneys the congestion was most marked in the cortex and 

 was accompanied with some nephritis. It was noticed that the red 

 blood corpuscles in the kidneys were more or less broken down. 

 Death resulted from respiratory failure. 



TOXIC DOSE. 



Very little has been kno^vn in regard to the toxic dose of Cicuta 

 beyond the fact that only a small quantity is necessary to produce 

 poisonous effects. 



Stockbridge, 1814, says that in a fatal case about 1 dram was 

 eaten. Hedrick, 1897, states that a piece the size of a walnut was 

 found by experiment to be sufficient to kill a cow. Other similar 

 estimates have been made, all more or less indefinite. In cases of 

 accidental poisoning it is very difficult to estimate how much has 

 been eaten, and there has been little exact experimental work. 

 About all that has been kno\\Ti is that the rootstock is extremely 

 poisonous and that fatal results have followed the eating of very 

 small quantities. 



The experimental work at Mount Carbon gave very little definite 

 information in regard to the toxic dose. The sheep that died ate 

 in two days 2.7 pounds per hundred pounds of weight. From the 

 records, two other sheep which became sick apparently ate a very 

 large quantity of the roots, but the circumstances of the feeding 

 indicate that the actual poisoning was produced by a comparatively 

 small quantity. Heifer No. 119 died as the result of eating 5 pounds 

 per 1,000 pounds of weight in a single day. These deaths occurred 

 at a time when, as stated elsewhere, there is reason to think that 

 the Cicuta is not as poisonous as at other seasons. 



All that can be said definitely is that a very small quantity of the 

 root of Cicuta may produce death, but the amount varies with 

 the season and also with the period of time during which it is 

 eaten. 



ANIMALS POISONED BY CICUTA. 



It is probable that most, if not all, of the higher animals may be 

 poisoned by Cicuta. 



Wepfer, 1679, showed experimentally that dogs, wolves, and 

 birds could be poisoned. 



Gadd, 1774, says that horses, oxen, cows, and goats are poisoned. 



