Lander mentions in cart horses grinding of teeth, and convulsive
movements of the eyes, recalling epilepsy. In one outbreak there was
thick wind, staggering gait, weakness of hind quarters, and general
signs of intoxication; and sudden violent attacks of laryngeal paralysis
and dyspnœa during which there was palpitation, frothing, tongue
protruded, eyes staring, bluish tint of buccal membranes, and
palpitation. Paroxysms sometimes proved fatal.
An attack among 125 _lambs_ is mentioned by Cornevin. The lambs could
not stand on their fore legs and were obliged to go down on their knees.
On setting them up again, they were only able to keep up while
motionless or moving slowly. There was loss of sensibility in the front
members. In spite of this the eye was alert, they were attentive to
everything that went on around them, and were easily frightened.
In _pigs_ paralysis of posterior members has been observed.
In _cattle_ there was staggering, blindness, and stiffness of the lower
joints. In _sheep_ and _pigs_ there was also paralysis of the hind
limbs.
REFERENCES.
63, 82, 137, 170, 179, 190, 203, 205.
=Yellow Vetchling= (_Lathyrus Aphaca_ L.). To what extent this vetchling
is poisonous to stock is not clearly known, but it is cultivated in
India as a fodder for cattle. The seeds, however, are not altogether
safe when ripe, and MacDougall says “The seeds and pods have been known
to be used in soup in their young state and without harm resulting, but
the ripe seeds are narcotic and cause sickness and headache.”
=Lupines= (_Lupinus_ sp.). Different species of _Lupinus_ have been
found to cause poisoning of live stock, more particularly sheep, which,
when fed largely on lupines, develop a chronic type of poisoning known
as _Lupinosis_, or poisoning may be acute and rapid in its effects, as
in the United States. Records of large numbers of sheep being affected
at a time date from 1872, in various parts of the German empire. In
Europe by far the most harmful species is the Yellow Lupine (_L.
luteus_), which has been the cause of heavy losses of sheep, though
horses, cattle and goats may also be affected. The Blue Lupine (_L.
angustifolius_) and White Lupine (_L. albus_) may also be toxic. _L.
luteus_ has caused lupinosis in Germany since 1860, and Cornevin states
that in 1880 no less than 14,138 out of 240,000 sheep fed upon it (or
5·89 per cent.) died. Of 44 horses affected 11 died.
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