Arsenical Poisoning of Stock. 550 



Tu pjoveiii ^ucli iR-ridonls ars indicated, cuncvete suiu[).s sliduld 

 bo fitted with hea^y lids; suitable draining" arrangements from I lie 

 drying-'kraals should be made; and, when the tank is emptied, the 

 dip and refuse should be thrown into a deep hole prepared alongside 

 the tank. It is ad^nsable to surround the Avhole tank and kraals with 

 a fence. 



(5) Drinking dip during tbe process of dipping. — This occa- 

 sionally happens, especially when large and small cattle are run 

 together through the tank. A large heast will sometimes jump on to 

 a smaller aniuial when entering tbe tank and keep it immersed 

 longer than it otherwise Avould be, with the result that the fluid may 

 enter the mouth or nostrils, and be swallowed; but if not actually 

 swallowed the dip is likely to irritate the delicate membrane lining 

 the ]iostrils and induce a stinking discharge and necrosis of the 

 membrane. I saw a case of the latter in a horse which had turned a 

 somersault in the tank, and also in a yearling heifer which had 

 remained loo long under the dip. Occasionally a beast will, probably 

 tlirough being thirsty, take a drink from tlie tank before entering 

 same. I have known this to happen with two valuable imported 

 animals, a bull and a cow, and the former died. 



It is advisable not to dip large and small cattle together, and 

 also not to allow the animals to follow each other too quickly througli 

 the tank. Never allow stock to go to the tauk thirsty. 



(G) Too frequent dipping or spraying. — Cattle are sometimes 

 poisoned by standard strength dips applied at too frequent intervals. 

 This is usually brought about by over-anxiousness on the part of the 

 owner. Two instances have come under my notice. In the one a 

 farmer had moved some cattle on to his farm foi' restocking purposes; 

 one died, but not from East Coast fever. . The manager became 

 alarmed and put the remainder through what was supposed to be a 

 seven-day strength dip, five times in nineteen days. Fortunately, the 

 dip was considerably below tbe proper strength, otlierwise the losses 

 would bave been heavier. In the other case a native removed seven 

 cattle from an infected to a clean paddock, sprayed them four times 

 within seven days; two died, and the remainder were badly scalded. 

 Heavy losses occasionally occur either througb ignorance of tlie 

 severe corrosive action of arsenic in concentrated form or as the result 

 of a pure accident. I remember one farmer who lost a number of 

 cattle througli applying one of the proprietary arsenical paste dips 

 neat, under the tail and to ears, as a liand-dressing mixture; and at 

 a tank on a public commonage, the hand-dressing mixture having 

 run out, a native was sent to obtain some more, and instead of bring- 

 ing tick grease brought a tin of arsenical paste dij) ; tliis was applied 

 Avith disastrous results. 



(T) Malicious poisoning of cattle with arsenic. — Malicious 

 poisoning can hardly be brought under the heading of an accident, 

 but since arsenic has been brought into common use, cases of malicious 

 poisoning have increased to an alaiming extent, and not only have 

 cattle be(>n the victims, but human beings as well. Iridian or native 

 servants are usually the culprits. I can recall three instances which 

 have come_ to my knowledge. An Indian servant poisoned three horses 

 by administering arsenite of soda in crushed mealies, and sixteen 

 oxen by mixing the poison with salt and placing this on the ground 

 for them to lick. A nati\i' placed some arsenite of soda in a lioiii 



