8 THE INTERNAL PAEASITES OP 



in the rabbit in great numbers. In some eighteen or 

 twenty instances this parasite has likewise been detected 

 in the human body. 



As the ravages of the fluke are chiefly noticeable in 

 the sheep, I shall reserve my account of the " rot " until 

 I treat of the parasites of the sheep. It may be remarked, 

 however, that cattle occasionally suffer from the presence 

 of the liver fluke. Though the disease very rarely 

 shows itself in cattle as an endemic, stockowners will do 

 well to take an opinion where cattle are losing flesh 

 without any very obvious cause. 



The veterinarian, when asked to examine a herd, will 

 naturally take into consideration the nature of the soil 

 and locality where the animals are grazing. He will not 

 omit to inspect the faeces in the fresh state ; for the 

 presence of a single fluke, or of a few eggs of the para- 

 site, would be likely to point to the true nature of the 

 disorder. It is to be feared that large numbers of cattle 

 are sent to the slaughter-house by stockowners who, 

 observing that the animals are beginning to lose flesh, 

 have a wholesome dread of taking any opinion respecting 

 them, lest the beasts should be condemned as supplying 

 flesh unfit for food. In this matter I sympathise with the 

 owner of cattle. Because a beast loses flesh in consequence 

 of internal parasites of this description, that would not in 

 my judgment be a good reason for condemning the meat as 

 injurious. No doubt, in the case of sheep the flesh is 

 sometimes seriously impoverished ; but the watery con- 

 dition of the muscles and tissues seen in rotten sheep is 

 seldom or never observed in cattle. 



In any case the agriculturist will do well to watch the 

 herd closely. If any suspicion of parasitism occurs to 

 him, he will obtain the opinion of a skilled veterinarian. 



