26 LAMBS POISONED BY EATING COMMON HEMLOCK. 
a probe into the uterus. When, however, the sheep is shedding 
ova, relaxation of the os uteri takes place, and then a probe may 
be passed without much difficulty. 
LAMBS POISONED BY EATING THE CONIUM MACU- 
LATUM, OR COMMON HEMLOCK. 
Communicated by Mr. ROBT. READ, M.R.C.V.S. 
About the middle of the month of September last Mr. Cheriton, 
a farmer, came to consult me concerning some of his lambs that 
had just died in a singular manner. He had not observed any ill- 
ness beforehand, but on the same morning two or three lambs died 
in a singular way. I requested him to describe to me as nearly 
as he could the symptoms, which I now detail : — They seemed 
giddy, could scarcely move about, and took no notice of any thing ; 
at last they struggled — were drawn — and died. 
I told him these were symptoms of poison, and that he had better 
go home and fetch me the entrails, which he readily did. On 
opening the rumen I was immediately struck with the very beauti- 
ful green colour of the contents, and the peculiar odour of the same. 
I told him at once that hemlock was the cause. At my desire he 
went to the field where they had been kept, and returned to me in 
alarm, fearing that all the remainder would die in the field. There 
was a boggy spot thickly covered with hemlock, with all the leaves 
nibbed off. To save the rest, should they have partaken of it, was 
the next object. 
Treatment . — In this I was guided by morbid appearances. They 
were all bled, and a solution of the sulphate of magnesia, acidu- 
lated with sulphuric acid, given to each. Fortunately no more 
died, although every one had eaten, no doubt, some in a greater or 
less degree, from its being a large place in which it grew, and all 
the leaves being eaten off, and the staminous part left. 
Morbid appearances . — The rumen had patches of a bright scar- 
let colour every here and there — the epithelium easily peeled off 
— the grass-ball contained a little semi-fluid food — the intestines 
were completely empty — the food in the rumen was ver}' pultace- 
ous, and nearly full, evidently shewing that rumination was sus- 
pended, but whether voluntarily on the part of the animal or from 
the narcotic or sedative effect of the poison, I cannot say. The 
number lost was three. 
