24 
VETERINARY TOXICOLOGY. 
them about three quarters of a mile to the station where they 
were to be trucked, three of them tumbled down on the road, 
trembled violently, and were with much difficulty got up again. 
In consequence of an insufficient supply of trucks to remove 
them at once, they were kept at the station nearly six hours, 
during which time no farther symptoms were observed until 
they were got into the trucks, when one of them again got 
down and did not get up until they reached their destina¬ 
tion. About 6 p.m. he was got out of the truck and walked 
home, a distance of about half a mile. 
They were all (fifty in number) put into a small grass 
paddock adjoining the farm buildings; and when seen at 
10 p.m. nothing particular was noticed in any of them, except¬ 
ing that the one which had got down in the truck looked very 
dull. At 4 o 5 clock next morning this animal was dead, but not 
cold; indeed, it bled pretty well when the vessels in the neck 
were severed. 
I was called, and before I got there, about 8 a.m., another 
one was dead, he having showed such alarming symptoms that 
they cut his throat. None of the rest, at that time, seemed 
at all amiss; but during the time the two carcasses were 
being dressed another animal was observed to refuse his food 
and to be inclined to lie down. I administered an ethereal 
stimulant, and shortly after an oleaginous purge, following it 
up every two hours by ^ij doses of Amm. Sesquicarb. in 
water, until four doses had been given. He now appeared 
more cheerful and inclined to eat; next day he seemed better, 
but still dull, and did not eat much. In the afternoon of 
the second day another showed symptoms of drowsiness, and 
the owner administered a pint of gin in water at twice. On 
the third day scarcely any difference was observable in these 
animals from the rest, and all did well afterwards. 
Post-mortem appearances —On going to the place along 
with the owner he expressed his belief that the animals were 
poisoned by yew, and mentioned the fact of their getting 
into the plantation where there were a number of yew trees; 
so that I commenced the examination with preconceived 
opinions as to the cause of death, but had not long to wait 
before these opinions were abundantly confirmed. The skin 
being removed, a number of large dark spots were to be seen 
about the neck, shoulders, and abdomen of the first one, evi¬ 
dently the result of its having been trampled on while down 
in the truck. The flesh was very dark in colour, as 
also the fat, which in the omentum weighed 60 lbs. The 
contents of the abdomen generally had a darkish hue; 
the liver was gorged with blood; the kidneys bore no trace 
