532 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



are required for the entire cycle, the second dipping should take 

 place after the seventh day, but before the fourteenth day ; allowing 

 for individual variation and variation of conditions, the tenth, 

 eleventh, or twelfth day will be the best time to repeat the dipping. 

 Conditions Which May Be Mistaken for Scab. Any parasite 

 or condition which causes an itching, and thus leads the sheep to 

 scratch themselves, or any abnormal condition of the skin, may be 

 temporarily mistaken for scab; but if the rule is held in mind that 

 no scab is possible without the presence of the specific parasites, it 

 will be easily determined whether scab is present or not. The fol- 

 lowing are the more important cases to be considered: 



(1) Itching due to other parasites, such as the common sheep 

 tick, true ticks, and lice, may be distinguished from scab by finding 

 the parasites. The dipping used for treating scab will also kill 

 sheep ticks and lice. 



(2) Inflammation of the sebaceous glands may be mistaken 

 for common scab. It appears most frequently in autumn. There 

 is a severe itching, the skin is red and sensitive, and is covered with 

 a strong-smelling, yellowish, viscid yolk ; tufts of wool may be shed. 

 It may be cured, after shearing, with any starchy lotion. 



(3) Rain rot in rainy weather an eruption may appear on 

 the skin which might be mistaken for scab. There is, however, no 

 parasite present; itching is absent, and the trouble disappears when 

 dry weather comes. 



Treatment of Scab. Proper hygienic conditions alone, though 

 of importance in connection with the subject of treatment, can not 

 be relied upon to cure scab. The only rational treatment consists 

 in using some external application which will kill the parasites. 

 Formerly medicines were given internally, and even within a few 

 years past it has been claimed that feeding sulphur to sheep will cure 

 the disease. The statements regarding sulphur were such as to lead 

 the department to try the experiment, which, however, was soon 

 abandoned as unsuccessful. The external application of scab cures 

 is in various ways made known as hand dressing, hand curing, spot- 

 ting, pouring, smearing, and dipping. Of these methods, dipping 

 is by far the most satisfactory. 



Hand Applications. While common scab is the disease treated 

 in this bulletin, as a matter of information, it may be stated that 

 in case of head scab, or ih light cases of foot scab, which appear to be 

 rather rare, hand applications may be resorted to, and will fre- 

 quently suffice. A nonpoisonous ointment may be made by taking 4 

 ounces of oil of turpentine, 6 ounces of flowers of sulphur, and 1 

 pound of lard. Mix the ingredients at a gentle heat, and rub in 

 well with the hands or with a brush at the same time breaking the 

 crusts. The simple sulphur ointment may be made of 1 part of 

 sulphur and 4 parts of lard; one-fourth part of mercurial ointment 

 may be added. Few remedies are so useful in mange in dogs, ring- 

 worm, and other itching complaints as sulphur iodide, and it may 

 well be given a trial on head scab. It is prepared as follows: Mix 



