DISTOMATOSIS — LIVER FLUKE DISEASE — LIVER ROT. 309 



When in addition complications have appeared, one usually finds 

 general lesions of septicaemia and blood infection. 



In erratic distomatosis, which is of no importance clinically, disto- 

 mata may become encysted in the lung or other viscus, and in time 

 die. The cysts, which only contain one and rarely two parasites, 

 present a fibrous shell, enclosing a blackish, pultaceous, grumous- 

 magma, which sometimes has undergone a certain amount of calcareous 

 infiltration. The parasite may be entirely destroyed. 



Diagnosis. Early diagnosis is difficult, and can only be established 

 by microscopic examination of the excreta and the discovery of eggs. 

 On an average one may find one egg in each preparation when the 

 liver contains 80 to 100 flukes. When wasting is very marked, and 

 particularly when there has already been a number of deaths, diagnosis 

 becomes extremely easy. It is sufficient to find flukes in any form 

 {Distoma hepaticum vel lanceolatum) to be assured as to the cause of 

 disease. 



Prognosis. In severely infested cases the prognosis is extremely 

 grave, because no efficient method of treatment exists. Embedded 

 in the liver, the parasites resist the action of all drugs, and we know 

 of no anthelmintic eliminated by the bile which in any way affects 

 their vitality. When the disease is recognised early, the most econo- 

 mical method is to fatten the animals as rapidly as possible and 

 prepare them for slaughter. 



Treatment. There is no reliable curative treatment. The drugs 

 which one might employ would kill the animal before poisoning the 

 parasites embedded in the liver. Various mixtures containing sulphate 

 of iron, juniper leaves, etc., have been recommended ; but rich food 

 constitutes the best of all treatment, both from a curative and a pro- 

 phylactic standpoint. 



With the view of prevdRting "the disease, however, and protecting 

 flocks from attack in places where the disease is common, certain 

 precautions should be adopted. They comprise — (a) providing a free 

 supply of rock-salt, either in masses placed in the mangers or dis- 

 tributed wdth the food ; the salt increases gastric secretion, and has 

 a slight action on the parasites : (b) adding to the food during the 

 first months of winter branches of birch, juniper, willow, and broom ; 

 the leaves of these plants contain aromatic or resinous principles 

 which act on the liver, are eliminated by the bile, and may have 

 valuable results. 



But of all preventive measures the most effective consist in draining, 

 cleansing, and drying low, moist, or marshy lands, because the molluscs 

 which are essential to the life cycle of the parasites are unable to 

 develop where the soil is dry. The manure containing the eggs of 



