LARKSPUR POISONING OF LIVE STOCK. 77 
It should be borne in mind also that in any given region, climatic 
conditions vary. In a dry, hot season the larkspurs will ripen 
earlier, while in a cold, wet season the time of blossoming and form- 
ing of seed may be much delayed. 
Eeferring to the work of Loy, Heyl, and Hepner, which is noticed 
on page 11, it will be seen that their results in regard to the toxicity 
of different parts of the plant correspond fairly well to the results 
obtained in the field experimentation. It may be noted that the 
large content of alkaloid in the leaf and stem of Delphinium geyeri 
as compared with the other species may be accounted for by the fact 
that the plant was collected early in the season before blossoming, 
at the time when it might be expected to be more toxic, while the 
Delphinium glaucum was collected at the full maturity of the plant 
and very likely at a time when the toxicity was beginning to diminish. 
ANTIDOTAL TREATMENT OF CASES OF LARKSPUR POISONING. 
The early treatment of larkspur poisoning at the Mount Carbon 
station was based upon the recommendations in the literature of the 
subject. Wilcox, 1897, page 45, recommends the use of atropin 
sulphate, stating that he had had good results with sheep in Montana. 
Chesnut and Wilcox, 1901, pages 72 and 80, recommend atropin for 
counteracting the physiological effects, and suggest that alcoholic 
stimulants and ammonia can be used to advantage. They recommend 
also permanganate of potassium and sulphate of aluminium. Craw- 
ford, 1907, pages 9 and 10, states that poisoning takes place more 
quickly when elimination is interfered with, as, for example, by tieing 
the ureter of the animal experimented upon. It seemed best, therefore, 
in the experimental work at Mount Carbon to make trial of atropin, 
potassium permanganate, and caffein sodio-benzoate. The latter 
substance was used partly because it is a heart stimulant and partly 
because it is a diuretic, on the assumption that stimulation of the 
kidneys might aid in the elimination of the poison. In several cases 
during the first season's work at Mount Carbon these remedies were 
used, and while all of the animals to which the remedies were given 
recovered, there was reason to think that none of the remedial meas- 
ures were especially effective. On comparison of the animals treated 
with those not treated, it could not be shown that there were any 
advantageous effects from the administration of these remedies. 
Reference may be made here to the experiments detailed in pages 
41 to 43 of United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 125, 
"Zygadenus, or Death Camas," in which it is shown that good re- 
sults can not be reasonably expected from an antidotal remedy like 
potassium permanganate, given per os to a ruminant, inasmuch as 
the antidote is not likely to come in contact with any considerable 
