STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF THE RANGE. 
23 
Symptoms, Treatment, and Losses. 
The symptoms of Cicuta poisoning are frothing at the mouth and 
most violent convulsions, which in a short time ordinarily end in 
death. Figure 19 shows a heifer in convulsions as the result of 
eating water hemlock. 
When cattle are severely poisoned the convulsions are so violent 
that it is almost impossible to administer a remedy ; in fact, no ef- 
fective remedy is known, and death is almost certain to follow cases 
of severe poisoning by this plant. 
It frequently happens that human beings, especially children, are 
poisoned by Cicuta, in which case if an emetic can be given promptly, 
so that the stomach is quickly emptied, recovery usually takes place. 
Because of the fact that ruminant animals can not empty the stomach 
by vomiting, this remedy can not be applied to them. 
The losses from Ci- 
cuta poisoning are not 
ordinarily very heavy, 
but individual stock- 
men occasionally lose 
quite a number of ani- 
mals. 
THE HEATH FAMILY 
(ERICACEAE). 
LAURELS. 
Among the plants 
classed as laurels are 
a number which are 
important as poisonous 
plants and occasion 
heavy losses, more 
especially of sheep. 
All these plants con- 
tain a poisonous substance known as anclromedotoxin. The follow- 
ing brief statements concern the laurels which are known to cause 
losses on the western ranges. 
Fig. 19. 
-Calf in convulsions resulting from poisoning 
by water hemlock (Cicuta maculata). 
Menziesia glabkella. 
Menziesia glabella, a shrub which grows in the mountains of the 
extreme Northwest, has been found to be distinctly poisonous to 
sheep. It is not known that many losses have occurred from eating 
this plant, but it was demonstrated in one case in Idaho that the 
plant was the cause of very heavy losses, and there is no doubt that 
when sheep in those regions are pastured on the north slopes where 
Menziesia is more likely to grow, and are short of other food, disas- 
trous results may follow. Plate XXVI shows this plant in flower. 
Black Laueex (Leucothw davisia). 
Leucothw davisiw, generally known throughout the Sierras as black 
laurel, is particularly destructive to sheep. It has thick, dark-green, 
