LUPINES AS POISONOUS PLANTS. 



31 



that the lupine leaves are toxic. Moreover, laboratory work, con- 

 ducted with the assistance of Mr. O. F. Black, shows clearly that there 

 is a large quantity of the alkaloid in the leaves, although less than in 

 the seed. 



A careful analysis of the cases of sheep fed with leaves offers no ex- 

 planation for the difference in results, although many possible factors 

 have been taken into consideration, such as difference in animals, differ- 

 ence in methods of administration, seasonal change of toxicity, etc. 

 All that can be said at this stage of the investigation is that while lupine 

 leaves are not always injurious they are toxic, and under some condi- 

 tions — conditions which can not now be defined — they cause illness 

 and death. It is evident that no definite statement can bo made as 

 to the toxic and lethal dose of leaves for sheep. 



TOXICITY OF LUPINE SEED FOR SHEEP. 



Table 4 is a statement of the sheep poisoned by lupine seed in 1913, 

 showing the quantity in each case which produced the result. 



Table 4. — Sheep poisoned by lupine seed in 1913. 



Feed and animal. 







Pounds 



Date led. 



fed per 

 100 pounds 







of aoimal. 



Aug. 



15 



0.561 



Aug. 



17 



.705 



Aug. 



15 



.268 



Aug. 



17 



.542 



Aug. 



31 



.441 



Sept. 



2 



.245 



Sept. 



6 



.439 



Result. 



UBgroundseed: 



No. 209 



No. 1S4 



Ground seed: 



No. 210 



No. 201 



No. 1S5 



No. 212 



No. 203 



Sick; recovery. 

 Death. 



Sick; recovery. 

 Death. 



Do. 

 Sick; recovery. 



Do. 



Inasmuch as sheep No. 208 received 0.551 pounds of the unground 

 seed without any toxic effect, it would appear that the dose received 

 by sheep No. 209 (0.561 pound) with resulting illness, must have been 

 very near the toxic limit. As the only sheep that died (sheep No. 184) 

 received 0.705 pound, the lethal limit, so far as these experiments 

 show, lies between 0.561 and 0.705 pound. 



Wh(!n grfjund seed was used, the dosage was much smaller, as 

 would be expected. Sheep No. 212 was poisoned by 0.245 pound, 

 and sheep No. 210 by 0.268 pound. Others wore fed larger quantities 

 without effect; for examph;, sheep No. 196 received 0.425 pound, and 

 sheep No. 207, 0.423 pound, while several received 0.3 pound or 

 more. Sheep No. 196, however, received its dose in 2 days, whereas 

 the others receiv<',d theirs in a single day. It seems that sheep may ]w 

 poi.sonitd on as little as 0.25 pound or may r(i(uuve as much as 0.423 

 pr)unfl without e.ffcct. 



