June ii, 1917 
Eupatorium ageratoides; Cause of Trembles 
401 
nor the grain were weighed in this experiment. Initial and final weights 
of each animal were recorded. 
In the period between June 17 and July 16 ewe 11 was fed on E . 
ageratoides and grain for an aggregate of 15 days. A typical case of 
trembles had developed by July 16, and death occurred two days later. 
Food was refused during these two days, and there was a decrease in 
weight from 102 to 77 pounds during the 29 days of intermittent feeding. 
Ewe 26 was given a ration of snakeroot and grain for 22 days, between 
June 17 and August 2. No symptoms of trembles developed during this 
period. The initial weight of this animal was 91 pounds, and the weight 
at the time the experiment was discontinued was 74 pounds. 
The control ewe, No. 10, was maintained on pasture alone from June 
17 to July 28. On July 28 she was put in a pen and was given a ration 
of E. ageratoides and grain until her death, which occurred on August 2. 
This ewe trembled only slightly, was very weak and emaciated, and lost 
20 pounds during the experiment. Although the symptoms were not as 
marked in this case as in ewe 11, yet all conditions indicated that death 
was due to trembles. 
Experiment 2.—Three ewes, No. 14, 23, and 26, were employed in 
experiment 2. This experiment was planned to confirm the results 
secured in experiment 1. Since the animals used in experiment 1 had 
refused to eat any considerable quantity of snakeroot when it was fed 
separately, it was decided to pass the weed through an ensilage cutter 
and mix it with an equal quantity by. weight of grain. One pound of 
this mixed feed was given each animal twice, daily. 
On the sixth day after ewe 14 was placed on the experiment she had 
developed trembles and died on the following day. Her initial weight 
was 80 pounds, and her weight at death was 73 pounds. 
The first symptom of trembles in the case of ewe 23 was noted 19 days 
after the experiment was begun. A well-defined case of trembles de¬ 
veloped in this animal, and she died 6 days after the first symptoms were 
noticed. Her weight when feeding was begun was 70 pounds, and there 
was a loss in weight of 8 pounds during the 25 days. 
Since ewe 26 had shown no ill effects from the feeding of E. ageratoides 
in experiment 1, she was used in this experiment. It will be recalled that 
the weed was fed separately and was not ground in the first experiment. 
Ewe 26 had eaten only sparingly of the weed in this experiment. How¬ 
ever, after 16 days' feeding with the mixed ration a very typical case of 
trembles developed. The feeding of the weed was therefore discontinued 
and she was put on pasture. 
Experiment 3.—In this experiment ewes 12, 7, 29, 27, and 19 were fed 
the mixed ration to determine the amount of weed and the length of 
time required to develop trembles. Table I shows clearly the variation 
that exists with reference to these two points. 
