POISONOUS PLANTS 207 



animals are hard to manage, tending to bolt in an erratic 

 fashion. 



In chronic locoism there is progressive emaciation and 

 craziness. The animal is unable to take care of itself, and 

 may fall into the water when drinking. Horses may remain 

 standing, unable to walk, in the same place and without 

 water for as long as two weeks. Sheep shed the fleece in 

 patches or as a whole. Trembling fits are frequent, and 

 death is from exhaustion and mal-nutrition. Isolation of 

 locoed sheep is necessary, for the 'loco habit' may be 

 picked up by imitation. 



The lesions are not characteristic, sheep and horses 

 always showing slight cerebral congestion. 



The only effective treatment appears to be segregation, 

 confinement, and careful feeding. But on liberation the 

 habit declares itself, and locoed horses after an apparent 

 recovery are always dangerous. 



Other Leg-uminosae. 



The European Ervwm Ervilia, or bastard lentil, produces 

 in pigs symptoms of somnolence, passing into coma, inter- 

 rupted by muscular tremors, and occasionally with nausea 

 and vomition. Sheep and cattle appear to be tolerant, and 

 the pig also to acquire tolerance (Cornevin). It seems 

 possible that mishaps are due rather to mal-nutrition than 

 to a definite toxic substance. 



Numerous other species of this order are held responsible 

 for poisonings, of which mention may be made of the 

 following : 



Erythrophleum guineense and E. Couminga have caused 

 poisoning in Guinea and the Seychelles. E. guineense, and 

 probably also other species, contains a glucoside, erythro- 

 phlein, of the digitalis class. 



The North American Gymnocladus dio'ica, or coffee-tree, 

 is stated to contain a saponin, but cases of animal poison- 

 ing are not recorded. 



In South Africa Crotalaria Burkeana, or ' stijfziekte 



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