544 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



Carbolic Dips. A carbolic-acid dip may be made at home or 

 may be purchased as a proprietary article. This class of dips kills the 

 scab mites very quickly, but unfortunately the wash soon leaves the 

 sheep, which is consequently not protected from reinfection in the 

 pastures. If, therefore, a carbolic dip is selected, it is well to add 

 flowers of sulphur (1 pound to every 6 gallons) as a protection 

 against reinfection. 



The advantages of carbolic dips are that they act more rapidly 

 than the tobacco or sulphur dips, and that the prepared carbolic dips 

 are very easily mixed in the bath. They also seem, according to Gill- 

 ette, to have a greater effect on the eggs of the parasites than either 

 the sulphur or the tobacco dips. The great disadvantages of this 

 class of dips are, first, in some of the proprietary dips, that the farmer 

 is uncertain regarding the strength of material he is using; second, 

 the sheep receive a greater setback than they do with either lime and 

 sulphur or tobacco. 



If a carbolic dip is used care must be taken that the ingred- 

 ients form a thorough emulsion ; if a scum arises to the top, a softer 

 water should be used. 



In justice to this class of dips it is only fair to state that while 

 the views here expressed are entirely in accord with the opinions of 

 some authorities, they do not agree with the views held by others; 

 but they are based upon the material purchased in open market, and 

 probably represent the experience of many who have used these 

 dips. The investigations of the Bureau of Animal Industry certain- 

 ly show that more tests are necessary before this class of dips can be 

 indorsed. It is hoped that these tests may be made in the near 

 future. 



One of the prominent proprietary carbolic dips was formerly 

 recognized as one of the three official dips in New South Wales, but 

 it has now been stricken from the list. In Cape Town carbolic dips 

 are not much used, and in the official reports little is said concern- 

 ing them. 



Setback to the Sheep from Dipping. Dipping often results in 

 a slight setback. If sheep are weighed immediately before dipping, 

 and again at the same hour the following day, it will be noticed that 

 the weight has changed. There may be a gain, but usually there is 

 a loss varying from ^ to 3^2 pounds. The second day there may 

 also be either a gain or loss. As the weight of sheep varies from day 

 to day, from 1 to 5 pounds in loss or gain, due chiefly to the increase 

 or decrease of the amount of fodder and water in the stomach, the 

 effects of dipping can not be estimated in twenty-four or forty-eight 

 hours. In order to meet statements made concerning loss or gain in 

 weight, the Bureau of Animal Industry had sheep dipped at stated 

 intervals and the weights taken from week to week; all the sheep 

 were kept under exactly the same conditions; the dips used were 

 lime and sulphur, tobacco and sulphur, and two proprietary carbolic 

 dips. 



In both the Western and the Eastern experiments the sheep 

 treated with lime and sulphur averaged the greatest gain, the sheep 



