The Dipping of Sheep in so-called Carbolic Dips. 547 



The object in now publishing this paper is to warn both sheep 

 farmers and dip proprietors that while these so-called carbolic dips are 

 safe with some waters they are unsafe with otliers. 



The most dangerous Avater would appear to be that which is 

 moderately liard ; because the oily globules separated under these 

 conditions are very tinv and easily overlooked (as in cases " B " and 

 "C" above). 



Probably the most reliable test for the separation of dip oils, in 

 cases of doubt, is to prepare some of the dip wash and pour it through 

 a piece of blotting or filter paper folded so as to fit a funnel. Some, 

 at least, of the separated oils should be retained by the paper. The 

 risk that sometimes attends the dipping* of sheep in these fluids has 

 also been noted in America, and farmers liave been warned accord- 

 ingly {vide Farmer's Bulletin No. 798, U.S.A. Department of Agri- 

 culture) . 



NOTE ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF CARBOLIC 



ACID. 



By P J. J. Eourie, M.P.O.V.S., Lecturer in Veterinary Science, 

 Grootfontein School of Agriculture. 



Wallis Hoare, in his Veterinary Therapeutics, ascribes to toxic 

 doses of carbolic acid a special action on the nervous and circulatory 

 systems. 



" On the nervous system after primary stimulation it produces 

 paralysis of the medulla and spinal cord." 



This would account for the nervous symtoms which are described 

 in connection with poisoning by this agent, i.e. "muscular tremors, 

 staggering gait, accelerated respirations, convidsions succeeded by 

 coma . ' ' 



" on the circulation after jirimary stimulation, it causes 

 fall in blood jiressure." 



On this account one would expect +o find on post-mortem examina- 

 tion great congestion of the lungs. 



" The urine assumes a characteristic olive green or brown colour." 



This was found in one of the cases referred to by Mr. Stead. 



Why the bladder was usually empty and contracted may pro- 

 bably be explained on the ground that the poison which becomes 

 excreted through the kidneys acted as a local irritant in the bladder, 

 and caused the reflex contraction of this organ. 



The s\d)cutaneous haemonhages referred -to in the paper are pro- 

 bably due to the toxic influence of the material on the capillary walls. 

 The post-mortem changes, according to Wallis Hoare are — 



" patches of inflammation in the stomach and intestines, and 

 the kidneys may show' inflammatory clianges." 



