STAGGER GRASS AS A POISONOUS PLANT. 



Alsberg, 1912, writing of lC The Toxic Action of Amiamthium mus- 

 cmtoxicum" says : 



This liliaceous plant contains a solid alkaloid which has not been obtained 

 in crystalline form. The alkaloid is of extreme toxicity, producing death from 

 respiratory paralysis. The effect on the circulation is less prominent than that 

 on the respiratory center. Striped muscle is affected in such a way that fatigue, 

 both by direct and indirect stimulation, is very much more rapid than nor- 

 mally. Relaxation is somewhat delayed, but no distinct veratrine effect was 

 obtained, though the alkaloid in some respects resembles veratrine chemically. 



Alsberg, 1914, says : " From a member of a closely related genus 

 Amiwithium rrmsccetoxicum, a similar active principle was obtained 

 in an impure state. Apparently many of the species of this group of 

 lilies contain ' veratrine ' alkaloids or alkaloids related to it." 



While the plant is mentioned by other authors as " fly poison " or 

 " crow poison," the few statements given above seem to comprise all 

 that has been written of its poisonous properties. 



EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING OF THE PLANT. 



A number of experiments of feeding the plant to both cattle and 

 sheep were made, a summary of which is given in the following table. 

 The plant material used was obtained from Wilmington, N. C. 



Table 1. — Summary of feeding experiments with Chrosperma musccetoxicum. 



Animal. 



Experimental feeding. 





Remedy. 





Designation. 



'3 



Date. 



ft 

 "as 



ftM 

 wd.5 



O [OO 



Part of plant fed. 



Severity of 

 illness. 



Result. 



Cattle No. 122. . 



Lbs. 



108 



' 108 



108 

 108 

 108 



1911. 

 Apr. 13.. 

 Apr. 14.. 



Apr. 18.. 

 Apr. 19.. 

 May 4... 

 May 5. . . 



1914. 



Mar. 23.. 

 Apr. 3... 



Lbs. 



0. 1540 

 .0990 



.0880 

 .0220 

 .0836 

 .1914 



.545 



.220 



Per 

 1,000 



lbs. 

 1.43 

 . 91564 



.814 

 2024 



.77 

 1.77 



2.261 



.917 



Leaves 









Do 



do 



Sick for 

 some hours 



None 



Recovery. 

 Do 



Do 



Do 



do 



Leaves 



do 



do 



Bulbs; fed in 



grain. 



Slightly sick 

 do 



Slightlvsick 

 May 6. 



Very sick 



Salivated 





Do 



do 



Caffeine so- 

 dioben- 

 zoate. 



None 



do 



Do 



Do 



108 



Do 



Cattle No. 663.. 

 Do 



240 

 240 



Do. 







Sheep No. 228.. 



72 



72 



72 

 98.5 



99 



76 



(78.5 

 \ to 

 (76.5 



Mar. 24.. 

 Mar. 25. . 



Apr. 3, 4. 

 May 26. . 



May 26.. 

 May 27.. 



[May 27.. 



.044 

 .066 



.331 



.110 



.055 

 .251 



.172 



Per 

 100 

 lbs. 

 .061 

 .092 



.460 

 .112 



.056 

 .330 



.219 



Leaves; fed in rye. 

 Leaves; forced 

 feeding. 



do 



Leaves, stems, 

 and flowers; 

 drench. 



do 



Leaves; drench.. . 



do 



Symptoms . . 

 Very sick 



do 



Not sck 



do 



Death 



Symptoms . . 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



[Raw oil and 

 \ turpen- 

 1 "ne. 



Do. 

 Do. 



Do 



Do. 



Sheep No. 277.. 



Sheep No. 280. . 

 Sheep No. 261.. 



Sheep No. 283.. 



[ Do. 



