A New Toxicant Occurring Naturally in Certain Samples of Plant Foodstuffs

Abstract

THE production of monsters (teratoes) in eggs produced by hens raised in localities where low hatchability was a regular occurrence has been discussed in a former publication (Franke and Tully, 1935). The effect of toxic grain, believed to be responsible for these monsters, on the growth of chicks of known stock was reported in another publication (Tully and Franke, 1935). In addition to hindering growth it was shown that 65 percent of the toxic grain in the diet delayed egg production almost two months after these chicks had reached maturity. The composition of the all-mash rations used were as follows: Empty CellPen 1Pen 2Pen 3Pen 4Ground yellow corn “control”2424Ground yellow corn “toxic”2424Ground barley “control”2525Ground barley “toxic”2525Ground wheat “control”151515Ground wheat “toxic”15Wheat bran7.57.57.57.5Wheat middlings7.57.57.57.5