The Connection of Milksickness with the Poisonous Qualities of White Snake-Root (Eupatorium Urticaefolium)

Abstract

Barbee,2 in 1840, after searching for possible causes of disease, concluded : Nor have any circumstances in history of 'Milk-Sick* in these districts (Ohio) enabled me to approach nearer to a discovery of its cause than that it probably has a vegetable origin. By some it would be deemed altogether unnecessary to offer anything in support of supposition of vegetable origin of disorder. This is most popular theory and has more facts to sustain it than that which contends for a mineral poison. He had noticed that cows which were enclosed in woodland pastures developed trembles and died. His observations led him to believe that two plants which were probably responsible were white snake-root and poison oak (Rhus toxicodendron). He fed a decoction of first to a dog which showed characteristic symptoms and died in 3 hours; to another he gave a decoction of latter plant with results similar to first, except that animal died in 2 hours. Barbee states that an acquaintance of his, Dr. Owen, had fed a decoction of E. ageratoides (urticaefolium) to a calf which developed trembles and died in a few hours. A fact of additional interest is that Dr. Owen had received specimens of plants identified as E. ageratoides, from farmers in Indiana who claimed that this species was responsible for trembles. Some argued that it could not be cause of trouble for, were that case, all cattle which ate it should die, and this was not true. In defense of his position, Barbee advanced idea of individual resistance among animals, asserting that the vital powers may resist poisonous agency in any quantity.