Barium: A Cause of the Loco-Weed Disease — John Shaqi
Barium: A Cause of the Loco-Weed DiseaseCrawford, Albert C. (Albert Cornelius)
Science
Barium: A Cause of the Loco-Weed Disease
Crawford, Albert C. (Albert Cornelius)
Astragalus earlei; Barium
1. That one can by feeding sheep upon Darling pea reproduce all the
symptoms which are attributed by pastoralists to this cause.
Briefly stated these symptoms are: Stupidity, loss of alertness and
an agonized expression, followed by stiffness and slight staggering
and frequently trembling of the head or limbs. Later, clumsiness
and unsteadiness ensue, which slowly advance until the animal often
falls down. In this stage, the action of the animal in running over
small obstacles is characteristic. It jumps over a twig as if it
were a foot in height. When first it commences to tumble about, it
is able more or less readily to regain its feet, but in the
advanced stage of the disease this is impossible and, after
exhausting itself in efforts to do so, it remains lying down until
it dies. During the whole time the sheep become progressively more
bloodless, and in advanced cases the blood when shed appears to the
naked eye lighter in color. It contains fewer red blood-cells
(about two-thirds to one-half the usual number). (The corpuscles
were estimated in several cases by means of a hæmocytometer.) All
these symptoms are much aggravated by driving. Thus, an animal in
which the symptoms are little marked may exhibit them in a striking
degree after being driven. In addition to the above the teeth
(especially in young sheep) frequently become loose, and
consequently displaced or even dislodged.
2. That the time which elapses before the onset of definite
symptoms is three to four weeks in sheep of 2 to 3 years old. (It
is probable, however, that with younger animals the time is
shorter.)
3. That under the conditions of the experiment, the animals
survived about three months. They lived, however, an invalid's
life. Everything was brought to them, and it is improbable that if
feeding exclusively upon the pea, and left to shift for themselves
in the paddocks, they would survive more than two months.
4. That if a sheep be returned to proper fodder after one month to
six weeks feeding upon the pea, and before the symptoms are fully
established, it may recover completely.
5. That when once the paralytic symptoms are established it will
not recover; but if returned to proper food, will remain in much
the same condition, becoming neither better nor worse.
6. That Darling pea contains a very fair amount of nourishing
material so that animals may, provided they eat it readily, retain
their condition on it for some weeks, until the poisonous principle
contained has had time to exert its effects.
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