290 BOTS. 



they are hatched, and this is the place nature has 

 assigned for their first transformation. They are now 

 in the state of maggots ; and, in the spring of the year, 

 they are always found in great numbers adhering to 

 the lower part of the stomach, and the adjoining intes- 

 tine. After a time, they quit the body with the faeces, 

 and soon again assume the form of the fly. One of 

 the committee has investigated this subject with some 

 pains, and, after having examined the stomach of seve- 

 ral horses supposed to have died of bots, he has come 

 to the conviction that these animals scarcely ever 

 cause death in the horse. In animals that have been 

 killed by violence they are found in equal numbers as 

 in those supposed to have died of bots. In fact, he be- 

 lieves no horse's stomach, that has been exposed to the 

 fly, will be without them in the spring season. He 

 has almost uniformly found the stomach uiiinjured, 

 though swarms of the animals were adhering ; and it is 

 impossible that they can prove fatal in any other way 

 than by gnawing and inflaming the coats of this organ. 

 The reason that death is so often ascribed to the 

 presence and operations of these worms, is to be found 

 in the general ignorance of the symptoms of other 

 diseases : the horse dies, the stomach is opened, the 

 bots are found, and, therefore, they are the cause of his 

 death. As well might it be said that a bird, found 

 sitting on a fallen tree, had been the cause of its over- 

 throw. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, they 

 will be found entirely innocent, and some other impor- 

 tant organ will, if carefully examined, present appear- 

 ances sufficient to account for the fatal event. If it be 

 admitted that bots can cause the disorder, unfortunately 

 we possess no means of ascertaining their presence, no 

 symptom to be depended on, except the accidental one 

 of their being voided ; and we know of no remedies 

 that can claim the least confidence to eflTect their dis- 

 lodgement. 



All kinds of burning and corrosive medicines have 



