POISONOUS PLANTS 155 



The Cape slangtop has a flowering stem of from 6 to 

 9 inches, scentless green flowers edged with purplish-brown. 

 The corm is small, egg-shaped, and has a thin underground 

 neck 2 or 3 inches long. The leaves are shiny green, long, 

 and lanceolate. 



Symptoms. — Poisoning by slangkop is marked by 

 diarrhoea, stiffening, and paralysis of the limbs, a fixed and 

 staring look, coma, and death. 



The effects of slangkop on sheep were studied by J. T. 

 Dumphy.* He states that the toxicity may vary in different 

 districts, that three flowering heads may kill, and that two 

 to three days may elapse before the onset of symptoms. 

 These are not very characteristic. The animal becomes 

 dull and weak, leaves the flock, and lies down by itself. 

 The head hangs, the eonjunctivse are injected, and heart 

 action irregular. Diarrhoea is excessive. In aggravated 

 cases the patient lies on its side, throwing its head about. 



Post-Moptem Appearances. — These are not character- 

 istic. There is patchy inflammation of the intestines and 

 fourth stomach, and the brain is congested. 



Treatment. — The treatment is directed against the in- 

 flammation by means of oils and lime-water or laudanum. 

 Dumphy recommends a rapid purge of Epsom salt, or 

 ^ grain arecoline in J ounce hypodermically for sheep, 

 followed by stimulants, such as ether and brandy. 



Chinkerinchee. 



Botanical Characters. — The South African Omithogalum 

 thyrsoides, chinkerinchee, or viooltje, has a white bulb of 

 1| inches in diameter, and a round, green, succulent stem 

 of 1| to 2 feet. The leaves are green and fleshy, and 1 to 

 IJ inches wide. The flowers are white with a brown centre 

 and yellow stamens, and form a cluster on short stalks at 

 the top of the stems. The fruit is a capsule bearing many 

 seeds. 



Walsh (loc. cit.) states that the plant is a common forage 



* Transvaal Agricultural Journal, 1905-06, p. 315. 



