320 The Care of Animals 



stock-cars bring the disease to healthy animals. When 

 sheep are closely confined in pens or feeding -yards the 

 disease usually spreads rapidly. 



As soon as a case of scab is observed, the whole 

 flock should be dipped in some solution which will de- 

 stroy the parasites. Excellent remedies are the coal-tar 

 products recommended for lice (p. 317). They are used 

 in the strength of one part of the coal-tar preparation to 

 50 or 75 parts of water. The dipping solution should be 

 warmed to 110° F., and the sheep immersed for at least 

 two minutes. During cold weather sheep should be dipped 

 only on warm days and when well protected from cold. 



One of the most effective dips for sheep scab, and the 

 one that is probably used in the West more extensively 

 than all others combined, is commonly called the "lime 

 and sulfur dip." This dip is cheap and the ingre- 

 dients can be easily obtained. The greatest objection 

 to it is that the lime is somewhat injurious to the wool. 

 The following is the formula : 



Fresh quick -lime 8 pounds. 



Sulfur 24 pounds. 



Water 100 gallons. 



The lime and sulfur should be carefully weighed and pre- 

 pared as follows: Slake the lime to form a thick paste, 

 sift in the flowers of sulfur and stir well; put this mix- 

 ture in a kettle with twenty -five or thirty gallons of 

 water and boil for one hour at least; two hours is 

 better. The chocolate-looking mass is allowed to settle, 

 the clear liquid is drawn off and water enough is added 

 to make one hundred gallons. The ooze or sediment 

 should not be used in the dip. 



