June ii f 1917 
403 
Eupatorium ageratoides; Cause of Trembles 
Ill effects followed only in the cases of ewes 169 and 161, the former 
dying 8 days and the latter 11 days after being taken off the experiment. 
Since ewe 169 evidenced no marked symptoms of trembles, a post¬ 
mortem examination was made which showed that stomach worms 
(Hemonchus coniortus) may have been a contributory cause of her death. 
Ewe 161, however, developed a typical case of trembles and is the animal 
represented in the accompanying illustrations (Pi. 23, 24). 
Experiment 6. —Since certain sodium compounds have been sug¬ 
gested as antidotes for trembles, two sheep were given definite quantities 
of common stock salt and one baking soda along with the mixed ration of 
E. ageratoides and grain. This experiment was conducted between 
September 18 and October 20. The data on these three animals are 
presented in Table III. 
Table HI.— Results of feeding Eupatorium ageratoides , together with salt or soda , to 
sheep.—Experiment 6 
Ewe 
Initial 
Placed on 
Date of 
Days before 
death 
resulted. 
Weight at 
Feed consumed. 
No. 
weight. 
feed— 
death. 
death. 
Grain. 
Weed. 
21. 
Pounds. 
121 
Sept. 18 
Sept. 29 
11 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
8 
Pounds. 
5-25 
28. 
96 
...do. 
Oct. 7 
19 
73 - 5 
15 
10. 25 
37 . 
Il8 
Oct. 2 
Oct. 20 
18 
78-5 
IO 
6 
Ewe 21 consumed 8 ounces of salt and ewe 37 ate 12 ounces during the 
periods of 11 and 18 days, respectively, in which they were on the experi¬ 
ment. Ewe 28 ate with her feed 30 ounces of baking soda. 
Experiment 7.—Since it has been claimed that aluminium phosphate 
causes a disorder similar to that following the feeding of white snakeroot, 
two ewes, 166 and 167, were fed aluminium phosphate for a period 
extending from September 9 to November 17. During this time each 
ewe was fed 412 gm. of aluminium phosphate (A 1 P 0 4 ; Baker's, C. P.) 
mixed with 68.5 pounds of grain, this being supplemented with 138 
pounds of alfalfa hay. The daily amounts of aluminium phosphate 
given were gradually increased from 2 to 16 gm. 
At no time during this period of 69 days were these ewes observed to 
manifest any symptoms of trembles. The initial weight of ewe 166 was 
80 pounds, and her weight at the close of the experiment was 91 pounds. 
The initial and final weights of ewe 167 were 90’and 93 pounds, respec¬ 
tively. 
SUMMARY 
(1) Eupatorium ageratoides, commonly known as white snakeroot and 
locally known in North Carolina as richweed, had previously been 
claimed by Moseley to cause trembles in animals. This claim has been 
substantiated by experiments with sheep in which green plants of E. 
