Show CAUSE OF SICKNESS The cause of the previously unidentified spewing sickness which has affected large numbers numbers num num- bers belS of sheep on western ranges I in recent years has been traced by specialists of the U. U S. S Department Department Department De De- De- De of Agriculture to poisonous poisonous poisonous poi poi- elements in the western sneezeweed which is eaten by bythe bythe bythe the animals This plant has not been known heretofore to be poi poi- While the studies have not been completed d and methods of treatment therefore can not yet be recommended the Department Department Depart Depart- ment has issued a preliminary notice warning owners of sheep not not to to permit their Blocks flocks to eat appreciable quantities s of the poisonous poisonous poisonous poi poi- plant The botanical name of the sneezeweed is It belongs to the composite family family family ly and is a rather stout perennial growing to a height of between 2 and 3 feet The stem is leafy the leaves being thick oblong and of a deep green color The plant may bear one or several flowers which resemble a small sunflower The rays are of an orange color the disk a brownish orange From the col color r of the flowers it it- itis is sometimes called The plant grows at elevations of b between tween and feet and the blossoming blossoming blossoming blos blos- period in the Wasatch mountains ends the middle or last of August It is found from Wyoming in the North to Arizona Arizona Ari Ari- zona and New Mexico in the South and as far west as Californi Cali Cali- fornia forni While it is found in valleys valleys valleys val val- leys and along streams it is not confined in its habitat t to low lowground lowground lowground ground but may grow well up upon upon upon on hillsides It is a rank grow ing plant and in some localities has largely taken possession of extensive areas on the range While sheep suffer rather severely from eating sneezeweed sneezeweed sneezeweed sneeze- sneeze weed the experiments so far conducted indicate that under range conditions horses and cattle cattle cattle cat cat- tle are not poisoned This is due probably not to the fact that I 10 7 the latter animals are not sus sus- to the poison but to the fact that under ordinary range environment they do not eat largely of it She Sheep poisoned by sneezeweed sneezeweed sneezeweed sneeze- sneeze weed s show depression n weakness salivation nausea accompanied with vomiting and a weak irregular irregular irregular ir ir- ir- ir regular pulse Diarrhea is common cornmon corn com mon and aVid bloating is a prominent corn I symptom in sheep poisoned on the range The effect on th the pulse is especially characteristic and it is evident that the toxic principle in large doses has a specific effect on the heart All parts of the plant are poisonous poisonous poi poi- I but experiments of the I first summer to indicate I that the flowers are somewhat I more poisonous than the leaves The plant acts as a cumulative poison cases of acute poison rarely i if ever occurring on the range though it is known that a sheep may be poisoned by eating eating eating eat eat- ing a single day 21 2 2 2 1 to 3 pounds of the weed Most lost cases of range poisoning however are the result of feeding extending over several days or perhaps two or three weeks In In- In such such- cases casesa a sheep probably eats an average I of 1 2 1 pounds daily The actual ac acv ex exhibition of symptoms I Imay may be precipitated ted by an unusually unusually unusually un un- usually heavy feeding of a single single sin sin- gle day clay when hungry sheep come upon an especially thick area of the plant At Atthe the present pres nt st stage ge of the investigation no medicinal remedy remedy remedy rem rem- edy can be recommended The main reliance must be upon pr prevention If herders recognize the dangerous character of the plant they can make it a point to see that their flocks do not graze on it No bad results are areS areSto areto to be expected from eating a few plants but inasmuch as it is isa isa isa a cumulative poison care should be taken to see that the sheep do not get it day after day I Care should be taken too to prevent especially hungry sheep from grazing in an area of sneezeweed at anytime as under under under un un- un- un der such circumstances cases of acute poisoning may re result o |