POISONOUS PLANTS. 107 



DEATH CAMA OR LOBELIA, (Zygadenus venenosus). 



In some of the states, especially those of the Northwest, 

 there is a very serious loss of stock through poisoning by the 

 death cama. It has been estimated that in 1900 over 3,000 sheep 

 died from this cause in Montana alone. 



Description. — The death cama prefers moist, shallow basins 

 and is found in western mountain pastures and on the plains. 

 This is a smooth plant with a single stem, resembling the 

 onion. It varies in height from six inches to two or three feet. 

 Under ground there is an onion-like bulb. The flowers form a 

 cluster and are yellow or yellowish white. The leaves dry up 

 about mid-summer, and after that are not dangerous. Cases 

 of poisoning late in the season are presumably due to eating 

 the bulb. The poisonous principle apparently resides in the fresh 

 stem and the bulb. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms as given by various observers 

 are, staggering gait, continuous swallowing motions, difficult or 

 irregular breathing and general uneasiness. Later there comes 

 a collapse, the animal lying for a long time flat on its side and 

 motionless. 



LARKSPURS, (Delphinium). 



Quite a number of species belonging to this order are com- 

 mon in this country, and several of them are of serious import- 

 ance as sources of stock poisoning. The)* are erect herbs, with 

 elongated clusters of rather showy flowers. The latter are usu- 

 ally blue, and have a peculiar projection from which the plant 

 gets its name of larkspur. 



Symptoms. — The various species of larkspur are similar in 

 their poisonous action. The symptoms resemble those from aco- 

 nite poisoning. The characteristic alkaloid of the larkspurs is 

 very similar in many respects to the characteristic alkaloid of 

 aconite. The physiological effects are also similar. 



Among the noticeable symptoms are : muscular spasms, stiff, 

 irregular, straddling walk and persistent swallowing motions. 



Treatment. — The treatment for larkspur poisoning should be 

 the same as for aconite. Belladonna or atropia (the alkaloid of 

 belladonna) has given very satisfactory results. The dose of 

 atropia given with hypodermic syringe is for cattle and horses 

 ]/ 2 to 1 grain and for sheep 1- 10 to 1-3 grain. 



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