Colorado LCants Injurious to Livestock 
33 
Syinptoins .—The symptoms manifested in affetced animals are 
similar to those of aconite poisoning. Cattle are most often poisoned 
and the first thing noticed is stillness, especially of the fore legs, and 
pronounced straddling of the hind legs in walking. The animal usu¬ 
ally falls to the ground several times and the muscular movements 
become more and more irreguluar. There is drooling of saliva with 
frequent swallowing. Perhaps the most characteristic symptom is 
the quivering of the muscles, especially on the sides and legs. In 
fatal cases the animal dies in convulsions. There is not sufficient 
difference in the symptoms of poisoning by the dift'erent species of 
larkspur to warrant special consideration of each. 
It is a well known fact that animals are most often poisoned from 
eating larkspur when it is wet, after a rain or snow storm, or in the 
early morning after a heavy dew or frost. 
Since larkspur and death camas are both found on the same range 
at a time when they are most poisonous, it may be difficult to tell in a 
given instance which is responsible. The symptoms are quite char¬ 
acteristic in each instance and a comparison of the symptoms given 
should enable the reader to decide with a considerable degree of cer¬ 
tainty. 
Animals when poisoned, and if not restrained, will start for the 
nearest water hole; the death of many animals near water holes has 
been deemed sufficient cause in many instances for suspecting that 
the water has been maliciously tampered with by an enemy. 
Areas that are badly .infested with larkspur should be abandoned 
until the danger p^*riod has passed, whTh period will vary, according 
to altitude, from the middle of Ji-ine to the first of August. When 
limited areas are particularly infested with larkspur, the practicabil¬ 
ity of fencing and of digging the plants is to be considered. 
Treatment .—When an animal goes down from larkspur poison¬ 
ing it should be turned until the head is higher than the body, to 
relieve the breathing. Under no circumstance should attempt be 
made to drive the animal further. The benefit derived by bleeding 
the animal, as claimed by some stockmen is questionable. When 
there is excessive bloating the rumer (paunch) should be punctured 
on the left side with a sharp knife (withdrawing it immediately after 
the puncture is made), or what is far better, with a trocar and can¬ 
nula. This latter instrument, which costs but a dollar or two, should 
Ije kept at the ranch and carried by the range rider during the lark- 
sjuir season. Potassium permanganate, as a chemical antidote, is 
found to be very effective in larkspur poisoning (discussed in connec¬ 
tion with remedies for death camas), but the inconvenience of carry¬ 
ing ciuart bottles of the solution ready for use, renders it of little 
practical value. 
Dr. C. Dwight Marsh has reported very satisfactory results from 
use of the following formula, administered hypodermiclly: vSee page 
48 of copy for formula. 
Physostig:miii salicylate . 1 grain 
Pilocarpin hydrochlorid.. . . 2 grains 
Strychnine sulphate. J 2 grain 
