CHAPTER VII 



DELPHINOSIS, LATHYRISMUS (LATHYRISM), ACONITISM, V^ATRISM, UMBaUPEEAE, 



CONIUM, aCUTA. 



The purple larkspur (^Delphinium Menziesii D C), and 

 Delphinosis. other species which are found in the northwestern part of this 

 country and especially in Montana are plants very dangerous to 

 stock. Drs. Chesnut and Wilcox have proven the toxicity of the above species 

 by direct experiment and have called attention to the serious losses which they 

 occasion annually. 



The latter experimenter has fatally poisoned a yearling lamb within two 

 hours by administering, per os, the extract made from less than an ounce 

 of the dried leaves. The weed appears early in spring, in advance of the 

 forage plants and it is during this period that the greatest harm results. The 

 poison is found both in the leaves and the roots although the latter are not 

 frequently eaten on account of their woody fibrous nature. The poisonous , 

 principle has not been isolated. Cattle and sheep are most susceptibl,e although 

 horses frequently suffer. 



Symptoms. The first indication of poisoning is a general stiffness and a 

 straggling gait, especially in the posterior limbs. Walking appears to be diffi- 

 cult, and is evidently painful. At this stage the pulse and respiration are much 

 depressed, and the temperature is lowered. The appetite is retained in most 

 cases until the appearance of the final stage of the poisoning. This is man- 

 ifested by irregular muscular twitching of all of the muscles which finally be- 

 comes frequent and violent, and by incoordinate movement. There are attempts 

 at vomiting and the animal froths at the mouth. Finally all of the muscles of 

 the body contract spasmodically, the animal falls and dies in violent spasms. 

 The pulse and respiration become very weak and rapid just before death. There 

 is no aberration of the special senses. The course of the poisoning is quite 

 rapid and death usually takes place within a few hours. 



Lesions. The direct cause of death from larkspur poisoning is probably 

 failure of respiration due to paralysis of the centre and the alterations there- 

 fore are those of asphyxia. The lungs are congested and dark-colored and the 

 right heart, veins and capillaries are distended with dark colored blood. Other 

 organs and tissues are normal with the exception of the general venous and 

 capillary congestion. 



Treatment. Potassium permanganate is the chemical antidote and should 

 be given as early as possible in doses of fifteen to twenty grains to horses, 

 thirty to fifty grains to cattle, and five to ten grains to sheep, dissolved in 

 a copious amount of water. To combat the extreme depression of the cir- 

 culation and respiration, atropin sulphate has proven very efficacious. Even 

 after the final convulsions have begun this drug has been of good service. 

 It should be hypodermically administered in doses of three-fourths to one 

 grain to the larger animals and one-twentieth to one-fifteenth of a grain to 

 sheep. In the late stages sheep should be given as much as one-sixth to one- 



