Part 19

Compare Meltzer, S. J. Toxicity of Magnesium Nitrate When Given by Mouth. Science, vol. 26, p. 473. 1907.

Burgassi, G. Modificaz. del Ricambio per Azione dello Stronzio. Archiv. di Farmacol., vol. 6, p. 551. 1907.

Noyes, A. A., and Bray, W. C. System of Qualitative Analysis for the Common Elements. Journ. Amer. Chem. Soc., vol. 29, pp. 168, 172, and 191. 1907.

NOTE.--Barium sulphate is nontoxic on account of its insolubility. Orfila fed 16-24 grams to dogs without causing any disturbance. Bary, A. Beitr. z. Baryumwirkung. Dorpat, 1888, p. 25.

Sprengel, C. Von den Substanzen der Ackerbrume und des Untergrundes, Journ. f. Techn. u. OEkon. Chem., vol. 3, p. 313. 1828.

Eckard, G. E. Baryt, ein Bestandtheil der Asche des Buchenholzes. Annal. der Chem. u. Pharm., n. s., vol. 23, p. 294. 1856.

Forchhammer, J. G. Ueber den Einfluss des Kochsalzes auf die Bildung der Mineralien. Annal. d. Physik u. Chemie, vol. 5, p. 91. 1905.--Lutterkorth, H. Kohlensäurer Baryt, ein Bestandtheil des Sandsteines in der Gegend von Göttingen. Annal. d. Chem. u. Pharm., n. s., vol. 23, p. 296. 1856.

Dworzak, H. Baryt unter den Aschenbestandtheilen des. Ægyptischen Weizen. Landw. Versuchs.-Stat., vol. 17, p. 398. 1874.

Knop, W. Analysen von Nilabsatz. Landw. Versuchs.-Stat., vol. 17, p. 65. 1874.--Compare also Demoussy, E., Absorption par les Plantes de Quelques Sels Solubles, Thése, Paris, 1899.--Knop, W., Einige neue Resultate der Untersuchung über die Ernährung der Pflanze, Ber. ü. Verhandl. d. königl. sächs. Gesells. d. Wissens. zu Leipzig, Math. Phys. Cl., vol. 29, p. 113, 1877.--Suzuki, U., Can Strontium and Barium Replace Calcium in Phænogams? Bul. Coll. Agric. Tokio Imp. Univ., vol. 4, p. 69, 1900-1902.

Hornberger, R. Ueber d. Vorkommen d. Baryums in d. Pflanze und im Boden. Landw. Versuchs.-Stat., vol. 51, p. 473. 1899.

Roscoe, H. E., and Schorlemmer, C. Treatise on Chemistry, vol. 2, p. 455. 1897.

Hillebrand, W. F. Analysis of Silicate and Carbonate Rocks. Dept. Interior, U. S. Geol. Survey, Bul. 305, p. 18. 1907.

This report came from the Plant Analysis Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry, a different one from that which later controlled the writer's tests quantitatively and qualitatively. In other words, the conclusions of the writer as to the presence of barium were controlled by three separate individuals.

Kobert, R. Kann ein in einem Pflanzenpulver gefundener abnorm höher Barytgehalt erklärt werden durch direkte Aufnahme von Baryumsalze durch die lebende Pflanze aus dem Boden? Chem. Zeit., vol. 10, p. 491. 1899.

NOTE.--The writer has also found barium in entirely different botanical families from the loco-weed, and it is hoped a report can shortly be made of some of these.

NOTE.--The first sample of ash analyzed by the Bureau of Chemistry had 0.21 per cent Fe{2}O{3}, 0.92 per cent Al{2}O{3}, 0.98 per cent CaO, 0.37 per cent MgO, 5.50 per cent SiO{2}. The second lot was only examined for certain constituents, and gave K{2}O, 2.25 per cent; CaO, 1.20 per cent; MgO, 0.41 per cent; P{2}O{5}, 0.52 per cent; and SO_{3}, 0.24 per cent.

=TOTAL ASH DETERMINATIONS OF LOCO PLANTS.=

The reports of the ash analyses of the loco plants show marked variations in the total amount of the ash. Thus, from Aragallus lamberti Dyrenforth obtained 4.32 per cent and O'Brine 13.52 per cent of ash. The Bureau of Chemistry analyzed two different samples of this dried plant and reported in one case 11.15 per cent and in the second 11.64 per cent of ash. O'Brine obtained 13.52 per cent of ash from the same species. The writer's analysis gave in one sample of Aragallus lamberti, collected at Hugo, Colo., in 1907, 18.8 per cent of ash; a second lot (1907), 12.44 per cent; a third (1906), 11 per cent, and a fourth (May, 1905) gave 37.3 per cent of ash. One lot from Woodland Park, Colo. (October, 1906), gave 6.4 per cent. One lot from Hugo, Colo. (October, 1907), yielded 9.6 per cent.

In the case of Astragalus mollissimus, Wentz obtained 6.76 per cent, Sayre 12.01 per cent, Kennedy 20 per cent, O'Brine 12.15 per cent, while the sample analyzed by the Bureau of Chemistry gave 18.4 per cent of ash. One sample from Kit Carson County, Colo. (December, 1906), which proved inactive physiologically, gave an ash content of 6.9 per cent. A sample of Astragalus missouriensis collected at Hugo, Colo., June, 1907, yielded an ash content of 21.8 per cent, and an Astragalus missouriensis collected at Pierre, S. Dak., September, 1907, yielded 27 per cent. An Astragalus nitidus from Custer, S. Dak. (July, 1907), gave 5.2 per cent ash, while an Astragalus nitidus collected at Woodland Park, Colo., in October, 1906, yielded 7.8 per cent, and another specimen of Astragalus nitidus also collected at Woodland Park, Colo., in October, 1907, gave 12.2 per cent. An Astragalus drummondii from Custer, S. Dak. (July, 1907), gave 5.9 per cent. Astragalus pectinatus (Hugo, June, 1907) yielded 6.1 per cent. A fresh (undried) specimen of Astragalus mollissimus (unknown origin, November, 1907) yielded 3.8 per cent of ash. One sample of Astragalus decumbens (Ephraim, Utah, August, 1907) gave 21.8 per cent of ash.

These determinations must necessarily be only approximate, as the plants were collected by different persons who exercised different degrees of care in freeing them from adherent soil, and possibly in drying the plants, so that the main value of these figures is their aid in determining the amount of barium present.

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FOOTNOTES:

The detailed analysis of O'Brine can be found on page 32 of this report.

All ash and barium determinations were made from the dried plants save when otherwise specified.

Evidently these plants must have been imperfectly freed from soil.

=BARIUM DETERMINATIONS IN THE ASH OF LOCO PLANTS.=

Attention has been called to the fact that in ashing plants containing barium a part at least of this barium is converted into the insoluble sulphate and a part into the carbonate, so that the characteristic pharmacological action of the ash will depend not upon the total barium present, but upon the form in which it occurs--little action if much BaSO{4}, and more complete if more BaCO{3} results. A further difficulty in the recognition of barium in plants is due to the fact that certain inorganic salts interfere with the precipitation by H{2}SO{4}.

A specimen of Aragallus lamberti (Hugo, summer of 1907) with 12.44 per cent of ash was examined for its barium content by Hillebrand's method. The method was as follows: