'M6 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 2G, 1826, 



ed only to the contjmmtion of their species. A 

 J'urthor tlescription perhaps is not necessary. 



General Stjnifitums of Bots in Horses. 

 Sometimes olJ horses, whi<'h are hard worked, 

 discover no apparent symptoms until a short 

 time before deatli. In young horses the symptoms 

 are generally better ascertained. In general the 

 liorse loses flesii, eats but sparingly, coughs, bites 

 his siles, and freciuently witli violence. These 

 symptoms continue and increase for a longer or 

 shorter time, according to tlie violence of the case, 

 and then a discharge from the nose commonly 

 takes place ; and at length stiffness of the legs and 

 neck, staggering, laborious breathing, spasms, and 

 death. 



Jippearances on DissecHo7i. 



The larvie in great numbers collected near the 

 passages into and out of tlie stomach, and of vari- 

 ous sizes, according to the time of residence in 

 that organ. The villous coat of the stomach per 

 forated, and the texture of the muscular coat pen- 

 etrated aJid greatly injured. The coats appeared 

 thicker and preternaturally hard on those parts 

 where the greatest injury was done. In five out 

 of six dissections the lungs were found greatly in- 

 flamed ; some parts in a state of suppuration, oth- 

 ers in a putrescent state. The one whose lung's 

 was not marked with inflammation, was a youni.' 

 horse of two years old whose lungs had never been 

 injured by hard usage. Qiter^, Why this inflamma- 

 lion, &c. on the lungs ? 



The irritation arising from the action of the lar- 

 vse in the stomach, may produce a general inflam- 

 matory disposition in the system ; but as the lungs 

 of horses, by hard usage, are more predisposed to 

 inflammation and its con.sequences than any other 

 given part of the body, inflammation fixes there, 

 and in many (if not in most) instances seems to be 

 the immediate cause of death. 



Means which have commonhj been used to removi 

 the larva: from the stomach. 



Rum, aloes, jalap, brine, linseed oil, pepper, so- 

 lution of alum, tincture of tobacco, decoction of 

 pink root, &c. arc all ineflectual. Tliis will not 

 appear strange when we consider how very tena- 

 cious they are of life. Nothing is more injurious 

 than rum, and other heating things, to the irritable 

 state of the stomach, whose texture is mutilated 

 in various places. 



Almost every farmer has some specific, and fre- 

 quently one of the above named, or those of less 

 consequence. A farmer's horse sickens with a 

 cold, or pain in the stomach from travelling, and no 

 refreslmient but cold water, perhaps, and that 

 taken when he is too warm : he asks his neigh- 

 bor, what is the matter ? he answers, the bots. — 

 What shall I do ? Give liim rum. The rum is 

 given, and the horse recovers immediately. Well, 

 and what is next ? Why, rum has killed the bots. 

 In like manner other things obtain credit for des- 

 troying bots. 



It may be proper liere to observe tl'.at wljen a 

 cathartic is needful, a larger quantity is required, 

 111 order to be eftectual, tban is commonly tliought 

 necessary ; and that calomel, given in quantities 

 of half an ounce, seldom has any known eti'ect on 

 tlie larva;, except in tlieir infant state, and even 

 then it is to be doubted, whetlier it will be gene- 

 rally eflectual. Horses do not commonly manifest 

 symjitoms of bots until the insects liavc considera- 

 bly advanced towards their full growtli, and liien 



cathartics, however useful in removing otlier dis- 

 eases, will have little elFect in removing them from 

 tlie stomach. If the larvfe be small and the stom- 

 ach not so injured as to forbid lieating articles, 

 spirits of turpentine seems to promise more suc- 

 cess than many other things, if given in large 

 quantities. 



Experiments to cause the insects to let go tlieir hold 

 ivithout the Body. — Lanoe three-fourths grown. 

 The stomach laid open, the following things 

 were applied without effect, except in some instan- 

 ces, they appeared stimulated to hold their places 

 — rum, brine, lime, fisli oil, British oil, burnt al- 

 um, corrosive sublimate, spirits of turpentine, tinc- 

 ture of aloes, decoction of tobacco, pepper, volatile 

 spirit, elixir, camphor, &c. Strong vitriolic acid 

 would immediately cause them to let go tlieir liold. 

 This acid joined with oil or water (equal parts) 

 would answ er the purpose though not so effectual- 

 ly. This acid was found to be more effectual than 

 aqua fortis. .Actual fire would cause them to quit 

 tlieir hold, although not in all cases ; sometimes 

 certain individuals would cling the stronger and 

 (lie, like a Spartan soldier at his post, before they 

 ■'ould relinquish their position. 



Experiments to destroy the Insects without the Body. 

 The following experiments were made at differ- 

 ent times, and on the larvte three fourths grown 

 or more. 



H. Minutes. 

 C Rum 

 Decoction of tobacco 

 Strong elixir vitriol 

 Essential oil of mint 

 Volatile spirit 

 Spirits of turpentine 

 Decoction pink root lived 

 Fish oil 

 Linseed oil 

 Tincture of aloes 

 Urine 



Solution of indigo 

 (^ Elixir camphor 



Mercury is not so effectual in destroying the in- 

 sects as is generally believed. September 1(>, 

 i8(U), immersed a number of small bots, with one 

 whicli was full grown, in a strong solution of cor- 

 rosive sublimate ; tiie small bots died in sixty min- 

 utes, but the full grown one was taken out of the 

 solution, six hours after its immersion apparently 

 unhurt. 



The larvie cannot endure the cold so intense as 

 to freeze. 



Preventive Means. 



Scrape off the eggs when deposited on the horse, 

 every ten days. A much longer interval will an- 

 swer the purpose, even once in 90 days ; but tliere 

 is a greater certainty of destroying the whole in 

 shorter intervals, as some may be overlooked at 

 one time and not at another. This practice must 

 bo continued through the season of their appear- 

 ance, July, Ausrust, and September, and mav be 

 performed with a sharp knife. The eggs sliould 

 not be scraped off where tlie horse can feed, as in 

 that case, the young larva; may be taken in witli 

 the grass. 



Salt has been used as a preventive means, also 

 certain preparations of mercury. From a number 

 of experiments, it appears, that the daily applica- 

 tions of strong brine to the parrts where the fly 

 places her eggs, is no bar to prevent her object, 

 neither will it injure the eggs. September C, 



1806, immersed a number of eggs in strong brine, 

 and after 24 hours had elapsed they were taken 

 out, and on the IGth examined, and found to con- 

 tain the insects in good health. Tlie daily appli- 

 cation of mercurial ointment, so powerful in de- 

 stroying vermin, will not entirely prevent the fly 

 from her design, yet it may destroy the eggs ; but 

 in this way, it would be expensive and disagreea- 

 ble, and fall far short of the simple, easy, and af- 

 fectual plan of scraping them o8' with a knife. 



Palliative Means. 



From what has been said, it appears exceeding^ 

 ly diflicult to remove tlie larvK from the stomach : 

 they are covered as with a coat of mail, and seem 

 to be proof against any thing that can be thrown 

 into the stomach with safety. 



As no certain method has been found effectual, 

 in removing them from the stomach, the whole 

 indication seems to be to remove irritation and 

 inflammation; and this is to be done by blood- 

 letting and a free use of mild oils. Blood-lettiag 

 has a tendency to remove the inflammatory dis- 

 position, and mild oils lubricate the fibres of the 

 ! stomach, and tend to obviate the effects of the 

 stiuiulus which introduces inflammation, spasm and 

 death. However, all this ought to be done in the 

 early stages of the disease, and even then the 

 event is uncertain. 



In most instances it appears that the immediate 

 cause of death was the local affection of the 

 lungs ; and in those instances where the local af- 

 fection did not exist, it appears that the irritation 

 occasioned by the insects introduced spasms end- 

 ing in death. In the latter case, opium is the prop- 

 er remedy. 



When the lungs are much affected, deatii is al- 

 most certain ; but when this is not tlie case, there 

 is considerable probability, that by proper means, 

 the effects of the insects rnny be warded off for 

 some time, and perhaps long enough for them to 

 coine to maturity or full growth, at which time 

 they cease to act. 



Blood-letting is easily performed with a phleme 

 in the jugular veins. Bleeding in tlic mouth, as 

 practised by many, is improper, as the quantity 

 taken cannot be known. When a horse is diseased 

 in consequence of the insects, copious bleedings 

 are necessary. We ought not to suppose that 

 blood-letting is not a proper remedy, because it 

 does not always cure : it ought to be the first re- 

 sort, and not the last, when every prescription is 

 unavailing. Time and opportunity are lost, by 

 those who tamper with a sick horse, day after day, 

 tormenting him with heating drenches, with amis- 

 taken view to remove the insects from the stom- 

 ach, until the poor animal sinks irrecoverably, ei- 

 ther from the pressure of the disease, or the im- 

 proper prescriptions, or both. 



About the lOth of March, a very small horse 

 was seized with the usual symptoms, which in- 

 creased rapidly, especially the cough, until the 

 15th, at which time six pints of blood were taken, 

 by measure : this moderated the symptoms. On 

 the 17th, six pints more were taken, and seemed 

 to perfect the cure. The horse was fit for labour 

 in a few days, and no symptom of disease remained. 

 The inflammatory atfection of the lungs was re- 

 moved, but not the insects. However, as the in- 

 sects wore not removed, but continued to act upon 

 the stomach, the disease, witli all the .symptoms, « 

 was liable to recur again, so long as tliey shpuld 

 remain in that organ. And this took place : for 

 towards tlic end of May, following, the symptoms 



