318 VETERINARY HYGIENE 



6 deaths among 59 cases, while Gair noted 6 deaths among 10 

 animals affected. 



Coccidiosis of the Sheep. Due to Coccidium faurei. The 

 occurrence of the disease was first recorded in Great Britain 

 amongst lambs by M'Fadyean.* In the outbreak described 10 

 per cent, of the lambs had died within a month, death generally 

 occurring about 48 hours after the onset of symptoms. The ewes 

 were apparently resistant. Sheep are possibly more frequent 

 sufferers than is commonly supposed. According to Eckardt the 

 mortality is 60 to 70 per cent. 



Coccidiosis of Birds. Fowls, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, 

 grouse and pheasants are occasional victims, but the disease occurs 

 in many other species, both wild and caged. The parasite is named 

 Coccidium tenellum and, as with mammals, the disease is chiefly 

 associated with youth. The eggs of infected birds are said to carry 

 coccidia. 



PREVENTIVE MEASURES. These are not easy owing to the great 

 resistance of the parasite. Oocysts are not infective at the moment 

 of discharge and generally do not become so for about 3 days 

 (rabbit coccidium). 



Should this disease appear among grazing cattle they should 

 be removed at once to a suitable shed and isolated. This measure 

 is not only necessary for therapeutic reasons but in order that the 

 highly infective faeces may be kept from the fields and streams, and 

 that they may be readily collected and destroyed. Though one 

 is often inclined to return convalescent patients to pasture, 

 the greatest care should be taken that the risk of spreading the 

 coccidia is made as slight as possible. It would be distinctly advan- 

 tageous to carry out microscopic examinations of faeces from 

 patients for a period before they are again turned out to pasture. 

 All the dung from the shed that has housed infected cattle should 

 be mixed with an abundance of quicklime and destroyed or put 

 on arable land. If the disease is known to be in the district care 

 must be taken to avoid purchasing young stock from farms 

 which may possibly be infected. If practicable young animals 

 should be kept off pastures which are known to be infected from 

 June to September, and during these months they may be used 

 for sheep. 



Owing to the great prevalence of Coccidiosis among wild rabbits 

 and considering their migratory habits, one cannot make any feas- 

 ible suggestions for the eradication or even the prevention of 

 the spread of the disease. This also applies to game birds, but at 

 * Journ. Comp. Path., 1896, Vol. IX., p. 31. 



