SIMPLE AILMENTS 307 



The oxyuris can with difficulty be reached by internal 

 medicine, as it is only situated a few inches from the funda- 

 ment, and hence is more effectually dealt with by throwing 

 up an enema of a solution of Quassia, or of common salt. 

 To make Quassia extract a quart of boiling water is poured 

 on to 4 oz. of Quassia chips, and then allowed to stand till 

 nearly cold, when it may be injected from a common zinc 

 syringe through a wooden funnel. If a solution of common 

 salt and lukewarm water is used, it must not be made too 

 strong, or the intestine, which is already suffering from the 

 attack of the parasites, becomes irritated ; a couple of hand- 

 fuls of salt to 3 quarts of water being quite sufficient. 



Bots are very troublesome in the spring months, when 

 they have attained a large size, and greatly affect the con- 

 dition of the horse. The parent-fly lays its eggs from July 

 till the end of September, selecting the neck, mane, ribs, 

 and the inside of the knees and fore-legs of the victim, all 

 being parts which are easily reached by the horse when 

 nibbling any part which is itching, or by another comrade 

 who is performing the same kind office. In this way the 

 pests become transferred to the stomach, where they quickly 

 bury themselves in the mucous membrane, attaching them- 

 selves by two booklets, and eventually growing to the size 

 of large blackberries. By the following June or July they 

 have completed that stage of existence, and, passing out 

 in the ordinary way, bury themselves in the ground, shortly 

 to reappear as flies, when their cycle of life is complete. At 

 first they do not give much evidence of their presence inside 

 their host, but subsequently they cause loss of condition, 

 whilst occasionally such emaciation occurs as even to result 

 in death. No medicme seems to have any effect upon these 

 dreaded intruders, though a course of Sulphate of Iron may 

 help their departure when nearing maturity. 



An Irish friend of experience once gave me the following 

 recipe, which he stated he had found to be efficacious in 

 banishing the pests : — 



" Give nearly a tumblerful of the common stone-crop for 

 a week, chopped up very fine, in the feed of oats or in a 

 bran mash ; then give a ball, 1 dr. each of black antimony 



