trembles

An intoxication of cattle, caused by eating white snakeroot, Eupatorium urticaefolium, or the rayless goldenrod; the active agent is a higher alcohol, tremetol, which intoxicated cows eliminate in their milk, causing milk sickness when ingested by humans. [L. tremulus, trembling, fr. tremo, to tremble]

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trem·bles 'trem-bəlz n pl but sing in constr severe poisoning of livestock and esp. cattle by a toxic alcohol present in a snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) and several rayless goldenrods (esp. Haplopappus heterophyllus) that is characterized by muscular tremors, weakness, and constipation

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trem·bles (tremґbəlz) 1. any of various neurological diseases of domestic animals in which tremors are a prominent symptom. 2. poisoning in cattle and sheep that feed on the plants Eupatorium rugosum and Haplopappus heterophyllus, which contain the toxin tremetol; the animal has muscular tremors, becomes weak, and may suddenly stumble and fall. Humans who consume milk, milk products, or flesh from an animal so affected may develop the acute condition called milk sickness.