BOTS. 



267 



There are no symptoms by which the existence of bots is in- 

 dicated, except it be in the spring, when they pass from the 

 horse by the fundament, assuming again the form of a chrysa- 

 lis to re-produce the parent fly. As has ah'eady been 

 stated, the symptoms of other diseases, as inflam- 

 f\ mation of the bowels, &c., are often assigned as indicat- 

 ing the presence of bots, but although bots may some- 

 times give rise to these conditions, it is worse than 

 folly to jump at the probable cause in such cases and 

 cATERPiM,AR, gay that it is a case of bots because a horse looks at 



FCLL SIZE. 



his sides and the like. When such an instance is 

 encountered, no matter whether it arise from bots or not, the 

 animal must be treated for the inflammation which is present. 

 If we succeed in controlling it, and restoring the stomach to 

 healthy action, the bots are no longer troublesome ; but if, on 

 the contrary, we commence drenching the animal for bots, the 

 chances are that we shall kill him. Morbid conditions of the 



stomach will sometimes so incom- 

 mode these little creatures as to 



J> cause them to escape from their un- 

 '- pleasant situation, which is com- 

 \ monly effected by perforating the 

 '' walls of the stomach and allowing 

 the fluids to escape into the abdo- 

 men, in which case no medical agent 

 will save the animal's life. Fortu- 

 nately, however, these cases but 

 rarely occur. The author has met 

 with but a solitary case in an experience of ten years where 

 death could be attributed to the action of bots. 

 - We know, moreover, from frequent experiments that the 



CATERPILLAR OR LARViE ADHERIXfl 

 TO THE LINING OF THE STOMACH. 



