OAK-LEAF POISONING OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
11 
were fed on oak leaves exclusively and for periods varying from 
4 days in the case of No. 674 to 52 days in the cases of Nos. 676 and 
679. Inasmuch as the cattle could not be weighed the records do 
not show exactly the effect of the feeding on the weights. It was 
evident, however, that all lost in flesh. This might be expected 
even if the oak had no injurious properties, for it does not have the 
nutritive value of the grasses, and then the cattle would not do so 
well on any one form of forage as they would if their feed offered some 
variety. All were somewhat constipated but showed no other 
undesirable symptoms; this constipation was not a serious matter 
Fig. 2.— Cattle No. (\7ti, August 24, 1915, to which oak leaves were fed experimentally. 
and while the animals lost some flesh, all presented a fair appearance 
at the close of the experiment. The photographs of the two animals, 
Nos. 676 and 679, figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, taken June 20 and August 24, 
show that they did not suffer materially from the experiment. 
The results of the cattle feeding in 1915 left the whole subject in 
much doubt. Some of the cattle were constipated and did not thrive, 
but this in part might be explained away. It seemed clear that 
feeding on oak browse might be continued for a considerable period 
without necessarily producing injurious results but that possibly in 
some cases more or less injury might follow. 
