20 
BURRETIN 113. 
in their movements, breathe rapidly, stagger, and fall. They ap¬ 
pear to be completely paralyzed, but in full possession of their 
senses. Spasms come on more or less severe according to the 
amount eaten. In mild cases .only a slight stiffness of muscles is 
noticeable, and this soon disappears. In severe cases of poisoning 
the animal will lie flat on its side, unable to even raise the head, 
and death will be delayed for several hours. 
Treatment. Chesnut and Wilcox experimented with several 
antidotes, among the most promising of which was potassium per¬ 
manganate, given by the mouth, and strychnine, atropine, mor¬ 
phine, and caffeine, hypodermically. In their first report 
the potassium permanganate is found to be a valuable physiologi¬ 
cal antidote. The strychnine and atropine had little if any curative 
value. In further experiments with the active principle, these 
authors recommended caffeine diuretin. 
The directions for giving the potassium permanganate as an 
antidote will be found in connection with the treatment for poison¬ 
ing by larkspur. 
water hEmrock. (Cicuta occidentals, Greene.) 
Other names: Wyoming water hemlock; cowbane; spotted 
cowbone; wild parsnip; snake weed; spotted parsley; death of 
man, etc. 
Description. This plant is more commonly spoken of in Col¬ 
orado as wild parsnip, and is confused with at least three other 
species, which it greatly resembles on account of the similarity in 
the umbrellalike expansion of the top. 
It is often mistaken for the cultivated parsnip, which it re¬ 
resembles to some extent. It is not, as many have supposed, the 
cultivated parsnip gone wild. On the contrary, it is a distinct 
species and can be distinguished from the garden species by having 
a white flower. It arises from a bunch of thick tuber like roots, 
which when cut and pressed will yield a gummy secretion which con¬ 
tains the active poison. The seeds also contain the poison and the 
foliage early in the season. 
Where Found. This plant abounds throughout the entire 
Rocky Mountain region. It is found in wet or swampy places, 
along streams, on ditch banks, and often invading the meadows. 
It is found growing on the plains east of the mountains, more 
sparingly but under similar conditions. 
Symptoms. There is manifest symptoms of great pain; the 
animal performing much the same as when suffering from colic. 
This is followed by frenzy and spasms. The breathing is labored. 
There is frothing at the mouth and finally unconsciousness, the 
