988 LIVE STOCK AND BREEDING 



of Arad and 500 in the neighbourhood of Versecz. In 1880, 400 pigs, 80 

 horses and 40 cattle perished within 4 hours at Kevevara, and 100 cattle, 

 5 horses and 8 pigs in the " comitat " of Hunyad. Finally , in April 1915, the 

 appearance of swarms of 5. coliimhaczense caused widespread damage in the 

 " comitat " of Temes alone, with a loss of 41 horses, 404 cattle, and 320 pigs. 

 The places where outbreaks of Simulium occur are enumerated, with a 

 description of the appearance of their swarms and the behaviour cf dom- 

 estic animals before and after the attack. This is followed by some clini- 

 cal observations on the infection due to the bite. 



Where large numbers of animals have been infected, there are many dif- 

 ficulties in the way of treatment, and prophylactic measiires alone can be 

 adopted. The writer employed the following method : 



The flies were removed from the body of the animals by rubbing the 

 skin with a clean cloth, after which the skin was washed with camphor- 

 ated spirit. The animals were given 300 to 500 grams of brand}^ per head, 

 diluted in water ; in severe cases this dose was repeated a few hours 

 later. Under similar conditions, other cardiac agents are to be recom- 

 mended, and likewise the administration of purgatives to cure digestive trou- 

 bles. Tumours were treated at the outset with subacetate of lead, but the 

 results being negative a mixture of soap dissolved in alcohol and spirit of 

 camphor with a little turpentine added was employed. Thanks to repeated 

 friction with this and constant exercise (long runs) the tumours completely 

 disappeared. 



It being impossible to overcome the disease, the only thing to be done 

 is to protect animals individually. When the flies make their appear- 

 ance the animals must be kept in the stable, or if already out to grass the} 

 must be removed from the places visited by the insects. Since, however, 

 local conditions do not always allow of adopting this course, the flies must 

 be driven off by burning wet branches, dung or straw, or anything which 

 will produce a dense smoke, to which the animals instinctively draw near. 

 For animals used for draught or other work, a protective coat of oil or ether 

 fatty substance should be applied to the skin. The application of concentra- 

 ted tar is not advisable. Valuable horses should be covered with fly nets and 

 the stables built so as to keep flies out (fly flaps on doors and windows, or 

 fire smoking in front of entrance). 



The method of communication of the disease resulting from the 

 bites of the Simulium, often assuming an acute form and causing sudden 

 death, remains unknown hitherto. Microscopical analyses of the blood 

 of the di.seased animals and the spleen of the dead ones preclude any par- 

 ticipation of bacteria or protozoa. Test animals inoculated with extract 

 of Simulium remained free, which suggests that the extract possesses no 

 toxic properties. Again, in the body of Simulium. no micro-organisms were 

 found. Nevertheless, animals attacked fall seriously ill within a few miin- 

 utes, and often die within half an hour, although death from asphyxia is 

 very- rare, as was proved by^ a post-mortem of dead or slaughtered animals. 

 In all the animals attacked, however, the Author observes some sy^mptoms 

 of nervous derangement, such as diminution of sensitiveness, general torpor. 



