REFERENCES.
[4], [73], [81], [203], [233].
COMPOSITÆ.
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.). Live stock are most unlikely to eat this plant, as it is bitter and acrid. Cattle appear to have been poisoned by it in Germany, Kobert’s opinion being that death had resulted from tansy. There have also been many serious cases of human poisoning.
Toxic Principle. Tansy contains the bitter, volatile and poisonous Oil of Tansy.
Symptoms. Tansy Oil has been employed as an abortifacient, and produces convulsions, violent spasms, frequent and feeble pulse, and paralysis of the heart and lungs, inducing a condition similar to that observed in rabies.
Pammel cites cases of the action of the oil from the plant on dogs. According to Pott the tansy imparts a bitter taste to the milk of cows which eat it.
REFERENCES.
Ragwort (Senecio Jacobœa L.). No suspicion appears to have been focussed on Ragwort in Britain, but it must be recorded here as the cause in Canada of the Pictou cattle disease, or hepatic cirrhosis, a somewhat fatal disease which has caused much loss during the last few years. In New Zealand also the same disease has been experienced, and has caused considerable mortality among sheep. In one case sheep were closely pastured on about 4000 acres with the object of eradicating the too prevalent weed, but after a year losses ensued. Gilruth concluded that if the weed does not monopolise the ground, sheep may, with few exceptions, eat it daily without suffering ill effects. Cattle and horses avoided it when possible.