Xlviii WARBLE FLY. 



** We put the mercurial ointment on to the swellings this year, 

 and I was much pleased with the effect, as the cattle were certainly 

 much smoother than last year."— Colonel G. Coussmaker, Westwood, 

 Guildford. 



" I have used the mercurial ointment on several beasts, and in 

 most instances the grub has been killed. I am going to dress again 

 the lumps where there seems to be a grub alive." — Hon. Cecil Parker, 

 Eaton Estate Office, Eccleston, Chester. 



"After reading Miss Ormerod's pamphlet on the subject, I sent for 

 some mercurial ointment, both blue and yellow, and got the bailiff to 

 apply it at once, as most of our cattle were infested with warbles. 

 This he did by putting a small quantity sufficient to cover each hole, 

 and slightly rubbing it in, and I believe in every case it had the 

 desired effect. It either choked or poisoned the maggots, for on 

 pressing the warbles a few days afterwards it was evident they were 

 killed and decomposed, as nothing but a yellowish matter came from 

 the sores. Both ointments appeared equally efficacious, and no harm 

 resulted to the cattle from its use. I intend to renew the treatment 

 next year."— T. A. Sutton, Yew Tree Farm, Tarporley, Cheshire. 



To the above I venture to add some parts of a letter by Dr. G. 

 Fleming, which he was good enough to write me on my laying the details 

 of the case above alluded to before him, and also permitted me to give 

 in the 'Agricultural Gazette' (see reference in note, p. 46). 



" With regard to the cases of supposed poisoning of cattle in Corn- 

 wall, I cannot understand how such an accident could happen, unless 

 your instructions were ignored, and the animals were smeared and 

 rubbed with a large quantity of the ointment." ..." You recommend 

 destroying the maggot of the Warble Fly hij just touching it with a little 

 mercurial ointment, such as is used for scab in sheep. . . ." 



Dr. Fleming went into all the points seriatim of the illness and 

 death of the animal, which was ascribed to treatment with mercurial 

 ointment, giving details as to amount and effects of action of mercurial 

 ointment, all which will be found in ' Agricultural Gazette,' as referred 

 to ; and ended the long consideration he was so good as to place in my 

 hands with this sentence: — "I am confident that no ill-effects can 

 arise if your directions are followed with anything like ordinary care." 

 — G. Fleming, LL.D., F.R.C.V.S. 



If used under proper superintendence, and according to direction, 

 mercurial ointment is a safe and serviceable remedy ; but, seeing the 

 liability there is to carelessness and misunderstanding in the matter, in 

 my later leaflets on Warble Fly I have only slightly alluded to the 

 application, thus : — " Mercurial ointment answers, if carefully used — 

 that is, in very small quantity, and only applied once as a small touch 

 on the warble ; but where there is any risk of careless application it 

 ghould not be used." 



