As was said before, most of the cases of larkspur poisoning occur 

 in the spring or early summer. 



Animals Poisoned by the Larkspurs 



While horses can be poisoned by corral feeding of larkspurs, 

 there is reason to think that if left to themselves upon the range 

 they never eat enough of these plants to do any harm. Sheep eat 

 the larkspurs freely without suffering any evil consequences. There 

 is a rather general belief in many regions of the West that losses of 

 sheep have been caused by larkspur feeding, but many experiments 

 on a large number of species, and in different regions, have proved 

 conclusively that sheep can be grazed on larkspur without any risk 

 whatever. In fact, it may almost be said that larkspur furnishes 

 good forage for sheep. The losses from larkspur poisoning, then, 

 are altogether with cattle, and these losses are very heavy. 



Symptoms of Larkspur Poisoning 



While the result of corral feeding shows that there are a number 

 of preliminary symptoms, as animals are noticed on the range the 

 first symptom commonly observed is the sudden falling of the animal 

 accompanied by violent struggles. The animal is unable to rise, 

 but after a few moments may get upon its feet and walk away, and 

 show no further symptoms. In more acute cases of poisoning the 

 first fall will be followed by a second, and that possibly by a succes- 

 sion of falls, which in severe cases of poisoning are followed by 

 complete prostration, vomiting, and death. Figure 10 shows some 

 of the attitudes assumed by a severely poisoned animal. 



Treatment of Cattle Poisoned By Larkspur 



Inasmuch as death from larkspur poisoning is caused by respira- 

 tory paralysis, it is very important, if the animal is found poisoned 

 by this plant, that immediate means shall be taken to relieve the 

 difficulty in respiration. In their struggles animals poisoned by 

 larskpur ordinarily throw themselves with their heads downhill, 

 and in this position the stomach and intestines press on the lungs 

 and seriously interfere with the function of respiration. If while 

 in this position the animal should vomit, some of the regurgitated 

 material is very apt to fall back into the windpipe and cause 

 asphyxiation. When, therefore, an animal is seen to fall from lark- 

 spur poisoning, it should be turned about with its head uphill and 

 erect and should then be left undisturbed. It is also desirable under 

 such conditions to give the physostigmine remedy hypodermically. 

 as recommended in Farmers' Bulletin 988. 3 The remedy has the 

 following formula : 



Physostiinnine salicylate 1 grain. 



Pilocarpine hydrochloride 2 grains. 



Strychnine sulphate U, grain. 



■"•Marsh, C. P., Clawson, A. B., and Marsh. II. larkspur on "poison weed." I". S. 

 Dept. Agr. Fanners' Bui. OSS, 15 p.. illus. 1918. (Revised ed.) 



