Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-07-10
THE LOCO WEED,

"A Plant Tina Works Great Damage to
Stock in the New states and Territories.
The early stock raisers of she far
western States and Territories were,
among other drawbacks, often con-
fronted with a peculiar affection at
lacking their horses. The symptoms
were a general emaciation, accom-
panied with glazing eyes and unmistak-
able indications of dementia. Animals
SO afflicted would rush at a man or
other object, with mouth wide open
and every appearance of ungovernable
frenzy, rearing upon their hind feet
and striking out wildly with the fore
legs. For along time no satisfactory
cause for this affection was discovered.
The term '.loco,"o or crazy. was applied
to it, and an animal so affected was
said to be ''locoed." At length it was
settled beyond doubt that feeding
upon a certain plant peculiar to
these regions was the cause
This plant belongs to the order
Legumimosg, of which there are two
species, all equally d%eleterious in their
effects. Many analyses have been made
with the view of ascertaining the active
principle possessing such peculiar pow
ers. but with no success so far. This
plant, as its name implies, belongs to
the pea family. 1t usually has a great
many stalks proceeding from a strong
root stock, and forms a low bushy
plant of a pretty light green. The
stalks are branching at the base and
give rise to numerous leaves and stems
bearing flowers and pods. The leaflets
are of oval form, from a half to
three-quarters of an inch in length,
and are of a shining silvery hue, from
being covered with soft silky hairs.
The flower is of a purplish, sometimes
yellow color, and has the general
This is succeeded by a pod about
an inch long. very smooth and
having generally two seeds. One OF
the most prominent peculiarities of this
plant is its hardness, its delicate green
foliage often being found growing
thriftily on the dry and barren plains
where but little other vegetation ap-
pears. It is from this thrift
ness and tempting appearance
that stock are probably led to
feed upon it in the absence of other
grasses.
Many attempts have been made al
discovering some antidote for the
poisonous effects of the plant, but sc
far unsuccessfully, death generally fol.
lowing from its use in a longer OF
shorter time, according to the amount
eaten. In Colorado so great has been
the damage done to stock that a bounty
is paid forthe destruction of the danger
Gus growth. 1t has been proved in this
State, however, that When an animal
has not INDUCED too freely in the weed,
by removing him at once from the To-
cality and feeding nothing but cult.
waited grass or hay, the evil effects will
in time pass away to a great degree
and the animal may be worked, though
care should be used, as he will always
be subject to sudden and apparently
causeless attacks Of mania, resulting in
runaways or other accidents.
The plant is variously known as
''loco weed'' and .'rattle weed" (from
the rafting of the seeds in the pod),
and an animal which has become dis
eased from eating it is said to be
..locoed" or ratified" So common
has this latter term become that il
passes among the current slang of the
day in many localities as descriptive Of
those who are in any way non con1pos,
San Francisco Chronicle.