456 



FLEA — PULEX. 



The flea of man and those of the dog and cat, when nnmerons, will 

 bite the horse and give rise to rounded swellings on the skin. To 

 dispose of them it is needful to clear the surroundings of the grub- 

 like larvje as well as to treat the victim. The soil may be sprinkled 

 with quicklime, carbolic acid, coal tar, or petroleum; the stalls may 

 be deluged with boiling water and afterward painted with oil of tur- 

 pentine and littered with fresh pine sawdust, and all blankets should 

 be boiled. The skin may be sponged with a solution of 1 part car- 

 bolic acid in 50 parts of water. Dogs, cats, and pigs should be 

 dressed with the same lotion, or, better, removed from the ^acinity 



of the stable. 



The chigoe [Pulex penetrans) of the Gulf Coast is still more injuri- 

 ous, because it burrows under the surface and deposits its eggs to be 

 hatched out slowly with much irritation. The tumor formed by it 

 should be laid open and the parasite extracted. If it bursts so that 

 its eggs escape into the wound, they may be destroyed by introducing 

 a wire at a red heat. 



LICE — PEDICULI. 



Two kinds of lice attack the horse, one of which is furnished with 

 narrow head and a proboscis for perforating the skin and sucking the 

 blood, and the other— the broad-headed kind— with strong mandibles, 

 by which it bites the skin only. Of the bloodsuckers, one is common 

 to horse and ass and another to horse and ox, while of the nonsucking 

 lice one species attacks horse and ox and a second ox and ass. The 

 poor condition, itching, and loss of hair should lead to suspicion, and 

 a close examination will detect the lice. They may be destroyed by 

 rubbing the victim with sulphur ointment, or with sulphuretof potas- 

 sium 4 ounces, water 1 gallon, or with tar water, or the skin may be 

 sponged with benzine. The application should be repeated a week 

 later to destroy all lice hatched from the nits in the interval. Build- 

 ings, clothes, etc., should be treated as for fleas. 



TARANTULA AND SCORPION. 



The bite of the first and the sting of the second are poisonous, and 

 may be treated like other insect venom, by carbolated glycerine or a 

 strong solution of ammonia. 



SNAKE BITES. 



These are marked by the double i'ncision caused by the two fangs, 

 by the excessive doughy (dark red) swelling around the wounds, 

 and in ])ad cases by the general symptoms of giddiness, weakness, and 

 prostration. They are best treated by enormous doses of alcohol, 

 whisky, or brandy, or by aqua ammonia very largely diluted in water, 



