NAT. ORD., Leguminosae.
COMMON NAMES, "Loco" Weed. Rattle Weed.
PREPARATION.--The whole plant without the root is macerated in two times
its weight of alcohol.
(The following proving of the "loco weed" was conducted
by the late Dr. W. S. Gee, of Chicago, in 1887):
OXYTROPIS LAMBERTI, Pursh.--_Commonly taller, as well as larger_, than
other varieties (the scapes often a foot or more high); silky,--and
mostly silvery-pubescent, sometimes glabrate in age; leaflets from
oblong-lanceolate to linear (4 to 16 inches long); _spike, sometimes
short-oblong and densely flowered_, at least when young; _often
elongated and sparsely flowered_; _flowers mostly large_ (often an inch
long, but sometimes much smaller), variously colored; pod, either
narrowly or broadly oblong, _sericeous pubescent_, _firm-coriaceous_,
half-inch or more long, _imperfectly two-celled_. Includes _O.
Campestris_ of Hook, Fl. Bor. Am., in part. Common along the Great
Plains from Saskatchewan and Minnesota to New Mexico, Texas, etc., and
in the foot-hills.--From Coulter's _Manual of the Botany of the Rocky
Mountain Region_.
It is one of the poisonous members of that family. It is found in
California and New Mexico.
It is a perennial plant, with herbaceous or slightly shrubby stems, the
foliage remaining green during winter when grass is scarce, and so
attracting animals that would otherwise probably instinctively shun it.
The plants do not appear to be equally poisonous at all seasons or in
all localities, and it has been doubted whether the active properties
they possess are due to a normal constituent of the plant. No medical
use has ever been made of these plants, although their poisonous
character has often led to the suggestion that they might be found
valuable. No physiological study has been made of the action of the
poison, and no complete chemical analysis has as yet appeared.
The stockmen speak of it as causing intoxication in the animals which
eat it, and a prominent symptom is the "loco" condition, in which the
power of co-ordination is lost or greatly limited. They cannot readily
readjust for changes in gait, etc. A horse travels on level ground, but
finds great difficulty in changing to pass over an elevation or
depression, or, when going up hill, he has great difficulty in starting
down hill; it is difficult, when he is still, to impress him that he
must go, and as difficult to stop him when desired. The same rule
applies to eating and other necessaries. Such a horse is said to be
"locoed." Professor Hawkes procured specimens from which Boericke &
Tafel made a tincture. To further test the merits of the remedy, the
students of the class at Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago kindly
participated in a proving.
Professor Hawkes received some reports from his group, but has mislaid
his papers, and he is unable to give in detail the symptoms produced. He
stated, however, that the principal action corroborated that given
above.
During 1886-'87 term I made another attempt, and a few reports were
received. The remedy was given by number, that the prover should not
know what he took, nor the strength of it. Some were given the [Greek:
theta], others 1x^d, 2x^d, 3x^d, 12x powders, 30x powders, and some
higher.
A few reported "no effect" from the [Greek: theta]. The following
includes the report from five persons:
1. (Mr. S. P. F., 10 drops of [Greek: theta].) 2. (Mrs. W., 10 drops of
3x^d repeated.) 3. (Mr. G. H. A., 15 drops of 3x^d.) 4. (Mrs. P.,
powders of 12x repeated.) 5. (Mrs. L., powders of 30x.) 6. (Mrs. L.,
powders of 12x.)