POISONOUS PLANTS 177 



In addition to D. Stapliysagria, the species Requienii, 

 pietum, and consolida occur in Central and Southern Europe, 

 whilst in the United States D. tricorne, consolidum, menziesii, 

 geyeri, recurvatum, scopulorum, and troUiifolium., have been 

 suspected of being poisonous. S. B. Nelson* fed as much as 

 24f pounds of the fresh leaves of D. menziesii to sheep 

 within five days without ill effect ; but, on the other hand, 

 E. V. Wilcox, t of Montana, killed a yearling lamb in two 

 hours by the extract from less than an .ounce of the dried 

 leaves. 



Symptoms. — Poisoning by stavesacre very closely 

 resembles that by aconite, and, moreover, being rare, need 

 not receive detailed treatment here. A. Macgregor X 

 observed a case of poisoning of a horse, which showed 

 dulness, excessive salivation, deglutition, and attempts to 

 vomit. These symptoms, along with the weak pulse, 

 display the likeness to aconite. In this case recovery 

 followed the exhibition of a pint of whisky in a pint of 

 linseed oil. 



The lesions are similar to those of aconite. 



Chemical Diag-nosis. — The delphinium alkaloids are 

 obtained by the extraction from alkaline solution in 

 systematic work. Delphinoidine gives definite tests which, 

 therefore, serve to characterise the nature of the poisoning. 

 The other alkaloids do not interfere. (1) Concentrated 

 sulphuric or phosphoric acid gives a brown colour, slowly 

 passing to red-brown. (2) When a drop of sugar solution 

 is added, and then concentrated sulphuric acid, a brown and 

 eventually deep green colour is given. (3) A trace of 

 bromine water added to the sulphuric acid solution gives a 

 violet, slowly changing to a cherry-red and blood-red 

 colour. None of these tests is satisfactory. The first may be 

 confused with aconite, the second with veratrine, and the 

 third with digitalis, and ptomaine bases and biliary pigments 

 often confuse and mark these tests. A physiological test 

 is therefore to be preferred. 



* Eeport of Bureau of Animal Industry, 1898, p. 421. 

 t Ibid., p. 479. \ Vet. Jl., 1908, p. 502. 



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