IXODIC ANyEMIA — TEXAS FEVER, ETC. 437 



Summary. 



(a.) That the disease as witnessed by me is a chronic form of 

 Texan fever conveyed from place to place, and transmitted from 

 one animal to another through the intervention of the tick. 



{h.) The infection is conveyed by the progeny of ticks which 

 have matured on infected cattle, and is inoculated by them 

 directly into the blood of susceptible cattle. 



(c.) It is stated that two mild attacks, or one severe one, will 

 probably prevent a subsequent fatal attack. 



(d) That animals under one year old, though not immune, 

 are not so frequently attacked by the slower form of the disease, 

 and that if such be nursed over one or more mild attacks, they 

 may probably obtain immunity. Ticks being the cause of the 

 disease, there should — 



(1.) Be a united effort to destroy them on the cattle by ex- 

 ternal dressings, and on the ground and pastures by 

 burning. 

 " Dipping ponds," as now used in America and Australia, 

 should, where possible, be preferred to the applications 

 by hand. Plans of the most recent and most effective 

 ponds or baths should be obtained. 

 (2.) To prevent the further introduction of ticks into the 



country by an effective system of quarantine. 

 (3.) After destroying the ticks on the cattle, the "animal 

 strength " should be maintained by keeping them in a 

 quiet sheltered place and feeding well, without causing 

 them to travel for their food. 

 (4.) To avoid drastic medicines. If the cattle drink pond 

 water, it will be safe to conclude that the disease may 

 be complicated and aggravated by the Strongylus con- 

 tortus in the fourth stomach, for the destruction of 

 which a dose of sulphate of copper should be adminis- 

 tered, and, if necessary, repeated two or three times ; 

 but when cattle obtain their water out of running 

 streams, or from clean tanks, the copper is not neces- 

 sary. If the animal be feeble, the following may be 

 administered to act as a tonic and as a food, viz. : — 

 Sulphate of iron, nitrate of potash, and common salt 

 (chloride of sodium), of each one drachm in a pint of 

 pimento tea, once a day for a week or so. 



