BOTS. Q» 



treatment causes valuable time to be lost, and, very likely 

 the death of the horse. The treatment is for an imao-inary 

 tooTte ^""'^ ^^^ ^'^''^ '''''' '' ''""^ cliscovered until, perhaps, it is 



..^^f '^ f]\^'^^ ""''" ^'^"^ troubling the horse, let us see 

 what would be the prospect of getting them away. Their 

 mouths are buried in the mucous coat of the stomach, and their 

 bodies are covered with a tough skin, so that nothing taken 

 into the stomach can, in any way, get into the bots, to make 

 them sick and let go their hold. Again, any thing strono- 

 enough to sufficiently irritate the skin of the bots to "make 

 them let go," would be strong enough to kill the horse. Eots 

 will live for a long time in turpentine, and even aqua fortis" 

 (nitric acid) does not immediately kill them 



It is impossible to tell whether there are bots in a horse's 

 stomach or not. There is no sign or symptom by which the 

 fact can be known. And if there were, it would be of no real 

 advantage, which is very fortunate. 



When the bots have matured, and of their own will let go^ 

 their hold, and are passing out with the dung, they may 

 fasten under the horse's ^ail and among the hair, to some ex- 

 tent. All that IS necessary is to brush them off. There is no 

 call for dosing or doctoring the horse for bots or worms in 

 such a case. 



Every one's experience must have convinced him that 

 Jots IS the great ^^scaj^e-ffoat^' of our numerous pretended: 

 horse doctors." It is a blessed thing for them, when ther 

 do not know what ails the horse, to call it "bots," and go to 

 ^ork. But the intelligent owner will not allow his horse doc- 

 tored for this imaginary disease. Better trust the horse to 

 nature, than have medicines blindly poured down him. He 

 will be much more likely to get well. 



I have taken up much space with this subject. I have I 

 believe presented many important truths. I know it is hard 

 to overturn long-established notions. I have no love for dif- 



