28 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



were apparently congested, but showed no hemorrhages. The small 

 intestines were more or less filled with thin normal-looking contents. 

 The kidneys appeared normal, the bile Avas of a dark-green color, and 

 the bladder was contracted and empty. The central nervous system 

 was not examined. 



The bile from this sheep, which amounted to about 20 c. c, was 

 treated with alcohol, and after evaporating off the alcohol in vacuo 

 was precipitated with lead acetate. The filtrate when freed from 

 lead by H 2 S and injected into guinea pigs produced absolutely no 

 symptoms characteristic of laurel poisoning. 



On May 22, 1905, one of the yearlings previously used, weighing 

 24.5 kilos (49 pounds), was fed with 90 grams of powdered dried 

 laurel leaves in sealed gelatine capsules, the feeding beginning at 

 11 :15 a. m. and taking about fifteen minutes. Before feeding, the 

 pulse was 135, respiration 50 per minute, rectal temperature 103.9° F. 

 After forty-five minutes an increased secretion of saliva became evi- 

 dent about the mouth and the sheep nibbled slightly at the grass. At 

 1 :15 p. m. the temperature was 105° F., the head was held low, respi- 

 ration was somewhat labored, and saliva ran profusely from the 

 mouth; pulse 104, respiration irregular, 144 per minute, pupils un- 

 changed. Two and a quarter hours after feeding, the animal became 

 less active, the ears were held back, and the general aspect was that 

 of a sheep half asleep. Eespiratory and salivary symptoms contin- 

 ued, the animal standing with the hind legs wide apart and showing 

 evidence of weakness in the hind quarters by a staggering gait. 



Four hours after feeding, profuse nasal secretion became a con- 

 spicuous feature and weakness increased to such a degree that the 

 subject was unable to stand: respiration 120, temperature 104° F. 

 The nostrils were moist ; pupils normal. Convulsions soon appeared, 

 with sensitiveness to touch persisting in the 'conjunctiva ; knee jerks 

 active, pupils a trifle dilated. Ten minutes later emesis followed. 

 Respiration was apparently increasingly difficult. The hind legs 

 seemed stiff. At 3 :50 p. m. the pulse was 104 per minute, temperature 

 103.8° F., with continued attempts at emesis and repeated tossing of 

 the head from side to side ; pupils normal. Death ensued at 9 :30 p. m. 



No discoloration of the mucous membranes was noted, and con- 

 stipation prevailed during the period of observation. At no time was 

 a marked thirst shown. The post-mortem examination made the fol- 

 lowing day showed the trachea injected and very moist and two or 

 three teaspoonfuls of pure serum in the pleural cavity. The lungs 

 were oedematous. The auricles were relaxed and filled with black 

 clots: the left ventricle contained very little black blood, while the 

 right ventricle contained very much more. The abdomen was dis- 

 tended with gas. The stomach was partially filled with food: the 

 second and third stomach walls showed no special lesions, but 



121— ii 



