CATTLE POISONING 



189 



POISONS USED IN HUNTING. 



In India the root of Arum montanum Roxburgh is said to be 

 used to poison tigers, while aconite is employed for the same pur- 

 pose against elephants, especially A . ferox Wall. In San Salvador 

 the ' Cangoura,' Rourea ohlongifolia Hooker, is employed. 



Cattle poisoning is a frequent method of revenge in India, and 

 the drugs most commonly used are: — Arsenious oxide, arsenious 

 oxide with sulphite, arsenious oxide with oxides of lead, sulphides 

 of arsenic only, oxides of lead only, sulphate of copper, nux vomica, 

 Cocculus indicus, mercury, and sulphate of iron. 



But, in addition, Abrus precatorius Linnaeus, Cerbera thevetia 

 Linnaeus, Calotropis procera R. Brown, aconite, chopped hair, and 

 snake-venom have been used. The list of Ceylon plants poisonous 

 to man and cattle will be given below. It is important to remember 

 that rinderpest and dysentery resemble arsenical poisoning, while 

 poisoning with nux vomica may resemble tetanus. 



Grey says that Lessertia annularis, the t'neuta of the Karroo 

 of South Africa, produces cerebro-spinal paralysis in sheep and 

 goats, like Gastro-obium, the poison-pea of Australia. Only Abrus 

 precatorius need be discussed here. 



Abrus precatorius Linnaeus. — The juice of this plant, which 

 belongs to the Leguminosae, is most irritating, and if injected 

 under the skin of cattle proves rapidly fatal, by producing general 

 ^depression, drowsiness, fall of temperature, and haemorrhagic 

 lesions somewhat like those of snake- venom. 



CATTLE POISONING. 



Fig. 13. — Abrus precatorius Linnaeus. 



