110 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



fistula is known as poll evil. Both fis- 

 tulous withers and poll evil are due to 

 blows or rubbing from improperly fit- 

 ting saddle or harness. The muscles at 

 these points are so arranged that any 

 pus which forms at the highest point 

 of the muscle has a tendency to burrow 

 more deeply rather than to make its way 

 to the surface, the result being a run- 

 ning sore in every case. If this trouble 

 is noticed in the early stages, it may be 

 successfully treated by removing the 

 whole false membrane with a knife. In 

 long standing cases, however, it is best 

 to make an opening to the outside at a 

 point slightly lower than the bottom 

 of the pocket which contains the pus. 

 This operation establishes a free drain- 

 age to the outside, and the opening may 

 be prevented from healing too soon by 

 tying a string through the wound. The 

 healing process may then be brought 

 about gradually by repeated washing of 

 the cavity with strong, antiseptic solu- 

 tions such as blue vitriol, corrosive sub- 

 limate or carbolic acid. Before making 

 the opening to the outside, it is some- 

 times desirable to place a stick of lunar 

 caustic or a small quantity of blue vit- 

 riol in the upper natural opening of the 

 fistula in order to destroy the false mem- 

 brane. 



Wounds — Too little attention is given 

 to the treatment of wounds in farm ani- 

 mals, particularly in horses and mules. 

 It should be remembered that various 

 diseases, especially lockjaw, may be con- 

 tracted through fresh wounds and there 

 is always some danger of blood poison- 

 ing. Moreover, even shallow wounds 

 may become exceedingly sore and cause 

 a great amount of pain and worry to the 

 horse. Where cut surfaces are kept per- 

 fectly clean, the wound heals without 

 the formation of pus. Under ordinary 

 circumstances, however, this is impossi- 

 ble with farm animals. Nevertheless, 

 whenever an animal receives a wound, 

 an effort should be made to treat it so 

 as to at least prevent the development 

 of dangerous bacteria. For this purpose 

 corrosive sublimate may be used at the 

 rate of one part in a thousand parts of 

 water; or a 1 per cent solution of 

 carbolic acid, a 2 per cent solution of 

 lysol, formalin or creolin. If the wound 

 is so situated that it cannot be con- 

 veniently bandaged, it may be well to 

 keep the surface covered with iodoform 

 or some other dry antiseptic. Attention 



should also be given to wounds to pre- 

 vent flies from depositing their eggs in 

 such places. 



Big head, also called osteroporsis, is 

 a disease in which the bones become less 

 hard and compact by reason of an in- 

 crease of the spaces filled with marrow 

 and soft tissues. The enlargement of 

 the head is ordinarily the most conspic- 

 uous symptom and usually a weakness 

 of the back is noticed and a gradual 

 change in the ribs so that the horse 

 becomes flat sided. Lameness appears 

 suddenly and accompanies all the other 

 processes of the disease.- Horses, mules 

 and perhaps other animals are subject 

 to this trouble. Animals over eight 

 years of age are less susceptible than 

 younger horses. One attack of the dis- 

 ease does not confer immunity and it 

 is probable that an animal never re- 

 covers entirely from the disease. In 

 some localities this disease appears to 

 be partly due to malnutrition and may 

 be corrected to some extent by rest and 

 the use of lime and other mineral mat- 

 ters in the drinking water or feed. 



Fig. 57 HORSE BOTS IN STOMACH 



Parasitic troubles — Horses are at- 

 tacked by a number of insects and para- 

 sitic worms, but particular mention may 

 be made in this place of two insects 

 which cause more or less trouble and 

 are very frequently brought to the at- 

 tention of horse owners. The botfly, 

 in the adult stage, is about % of an 

 inch long, with transparent wings, bear- 

 ing dark spots. The bot is hairy, the 

 head brown, with a white front, and the 



