class="label">[5] Fletcher, J. Evidence Before the Select Standing Comminttee on Agriculture and Colonization. Ottawas, 1905, p. 53.

PLANTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCOED CONDITION.

The condition known as “locoed” is popularly believed to be due to eating various plants, especially the members of the Astragalus and Aragallus genera of the Leguminosæ, or pea family, but particularly to Astragalus mollissimus and Aragallus lamberti. These plants have therefore received the name “loco plants,”[7] or crazy weed. But others, as Astragalus mortoni,[8] A. hornii, A. lentiginosus, A. pattersoni,[9] A. nuttallianus, A. missouriensis, A. lotifloras, A. bisulcatus, A. haydenianus,[10] A. tridactylicus,[11] Crotalaria sagittalis, Lotus americanus,[12] Sophora sericea, Caprioides aureum, Aragallus deflexa,[13] A. campestris,[14] A. lagopus,[15] Malvastrum coccineum, Amaranthus graecizans, and Rhamnus lanceolata, are considered by some as loco plants.[16] In other places Stipa vaseyi, Leucocrinum montanum, Fritillaria pudica, Zygadenus elegans,[17] and even species of Delphinium are considered loco plants, so widely has this name been used.

In Mexico the term “locoed” embraces a condition due to the action of Cannabis sativa and various members of the nightshade family. This term has been much abused and has been made to embrace many groups of symptoms. In fact, if an animal dies while showing more or less stupor it is said to be locoed.[18] The early Spanish settlers seemed to be unfamiliar with the disease, or at least of any causative relation between the plant and the disease. The Spanish name for Astragalus mollissimus was “Garbanzillo,” from its resemblance to Garbanzo (Cicer arietinum), which is used in Spain as a food.[19] The term as applied to this condition seems to be of comparatively recent origin.[20]

A somewhat similar condition to the loco in stock is sometimes attributed by the ranchmen of our Western States to eating various sages.[21] In Texas the loco disease is known as “grass staggers.”[22]

Hayes[23] has described as follows a condition known as grass staggers, which apparently has little resemblance to loco and is supposed to be due to eating overripe grass, especially rye.

The symptoms, generally, take two or three days to become developed. The animal gradually becomes more or less unconscious and paralyzed and staggers if forced to walk. Although he may have great difficulty in keeping on his legs, he is extremely averse from going down and leans for support against any convenient object. He breathes in a snoring manner. The mucous membranes are tinged with yellow. Convulsions, or spasms, like those of tetanus, may come on.

Recovery may be expected in cases which are not marked by extreme symptoms.

If animals are not regularly salted, they visit salt deposits and eat the alkalis. This some sheepmen believe to be the cause of the locoed condition, but this is disproved by the occurrence of locoed animals in ranges without salt. Others modify this view by claiming that the vitiation in taste from eating these alkalis leads to a desire for the loco weeds and thus to the locoed condition.[24]