POISONOUS PLANTS 167 



Varnell* gave an old but healthy mare twelve feeds of 

 oats, infected with aspergillus, during four days, and observed 

 the above indicated nervous disorders. Death was pain- 

 less on the sixth day. He found on autopsy the stomach 

 and intestines pale and flaccid, liver paler than normal, 

 and spleen very small. 



The effects of the mould oidium (on bread) on horses 

 have been recorded by Perrin.t There were internal 

 rumblings, frequent defecation and passage of small 

 quantities of urine, difficulty in moving, membranes in- 

 jected, pulse 60, full and hard. Later the animal fell, the 

 pulse was weak, there was coma followed by vertigo, and 

 death after repeated seizures. 



On post-mortem he found congestion of the mucous 

 membranes ; the liver yellow and friable, and the brain 

 congested. 



Miillerl has described extensive disease amongst horses, 

 cattle, and sheep, in Alsace-Lorraine, due to grain infected 

 by puccinia. It was characterised by myopathic paresis or 

 paralysis, and excessive salivation. Acute cases terminated 

 fatally in one or two hours ; subacute in from ten to 

 forty-eight hours ; and in chronic cases there was death 

 from inanition. The post-mortem was negative. 



Bansse§ signalises the effects of mouldy clover on the 

 horse, observing delirium, with staring eyes, perspiration, 

 and foaming, followed by weakness, loss of power of hind 

 legs, and muscular tremors of elbow and thigh. 



Aspergillus fumigatus or glaucus gives rise to As2)ergiUosis 

 in all mammals and birds, causing a pneumonia with many 

 of the symptoms of tuberculosis. It is frequently trans- 

 mitted by food, or may be inhaled, and is communicable 

 from animals to man. 



* Veterina/rian, 1862, p. 65. f Vet. JL, 1907, y. 248. 



i Jl. Comp. Path., 1909, p. 66. § Vet. Jl, 1903, p. 80. 



