TUTU POISONING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 21

TUTU POISONING.

The tutu plant is a well-known poisonous shrub in this country, and it causes severe illness and frequent deaths among stock. The Director of Live-stock gives the following advice on the subject:—lt is often a very difficult matter to apply medicinal treatment to animals suffering from tutu poisoning, seeing that the trouble causes more or less severe brain symptoms, which render the animal intractable and difficult to handle. Very useful treatment for this trouble, when it can be applied, is the internal administration of liquid ammonia, or carbonate of ammonia mixed with milk or thin gruel if possible: in addition a large dose of linseed oil (not less than two pints) should be given. The dose of liquid ammonia in eases such as this should be loz in a quart of milk or thin gruel. If neither of these be available, it should be mixed with two pints of linseed oil. which is recommended above. Liquid ammonia is irritating to the membrane of the mouth and throat, hence the necessity for diluting it with a quantity of some demulcent fluid. It should bo borne 'in mind that there are two liquid preparations of ammonia—one a very strong nreparation known as liquor ammonia fort, the other the ordinary liquid ammonia, which is here recommended. If carbonate of ammonia; be used in cases of lutu poisoning, the dose is 1%07.. If (he first stomach is greatlv distended with gas, relief can be afforded bv puncturing it at a spot midway between the haunch-bone and the last rib.