Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from Australasian, 7 April 1866, p. 8; reprinted in Brisbane courier, 19 April 1866, p. 4. The letter was forwarded to the Australasian for publication by M, together with his comments which were published with it; see M to the Editor of the Australasian, April 1866 (in this edition as 66-04-00e) (B66.04.06).

Youngera, Swan-hill,

2

Vic.

March 26.

Dr. Ferdinand Mueller, F.R.S.

My dear sir,— I would feel much obliged by any information respecting the properties—poisonous I fear—of the enclosed herb.

It grows in profusion upon the bed of a dry lake, upon which a large number of sheep were found yesterday in a paralysed state. The symptoms are most extraordinary, all power of raising itself being lost by the animal affected; yet in the majority of cases they are able to support themselves and to travel, if first assisted for only twenty or thirty seconds. A certain portion have no power in their limbs, and these die a lingering death if not discovered in time. But none seem to die from the immediate cause of eating the herb—it seems to paralyse them as described, death ultimately ensuing from starvation. I may remark that this sudden destruction of the sheep is caused, in my opinion, by the sheep eating ravenously of the herb after a fall of rain. Horses do not even smell the plant, though it is of a most beautiful green—in the distance resembling a clover-field—and very inviting appearance.

A reply at your convenience will be esteemed a great favour by