508 PR15VENTI0N OF VERMICEOUS DISEASES. 



are spread by the embryos being brought up in the mucus from 

 the air-passages ; these germs are scattered about upon the gromid, 

 and thus sow the seeds of disease for numbers of other lambs and 

 sheep. When that spasmodic cough so characteristic of " hoose " is 

 heard, it is surely advisable to remove the animal, and so prevent it 

 from contaminating the ground. 



Similar remarks apply to gapes in poultr3'. The ground becomes 

 fouled with the ova released from the bodies of the coughed-up 

 syngami, to such an extent that it is not possible to go on success- 

 fully breeding birds on the same land for any length of time. Runs 

 and breeding -places should be dressed with gas-lime, so as to 

 destroy the ova and embryos, and chicks ought to be kept far 

 from the stock-birds. Unfortunately wild birds suffer from gapes, 

 so that we shall constantly get fresh infestations, but we can 

 prevent epidemics. 



Speaking generally, we can prevent nematode diseases by isolating 

 the sufferers, burning their excrement, and remo-s-ing to fresh land, 

 thus allowing the old land to have a re,st, or by substituting other 

 kinds of stock until the land becomes once more clean. It is very 

 doubtful if any dressings can be applied to grass-land, as nothing 

 will touch the ova or larvaj that will not burn the grass as well. 

 Lastly, attention to the water-supply should not fail to be given 

 during and after an epizootic attack on the farm. For destroying 

 round intestinal worms, such as the ascarides and oxyures, the drug 

 called santonine may be successfully used. It should be preceded 

 by a purgative and absence of food for some six to twelve hours. 

 For horses santonine is used at the rate of 20-grain to 30-grain 

 doses, one dose given in the morning, another of a night, followed 

 by a purgative next morning. By far the most certain nematocide 

 is thymol, given in 15-grain doses to horses morning and night, 

 followed by a dose of castor-oil. Thymol can be dissolved in alcohol, 

 and should be administered in warm sweet milk. In cases of armed 

 solerostome attack the drug is especially valuable, as it not only 

 clears out the free red-worms (S. equimtin and .9. tetracanthim) but 

 also destroys those encysted in the mucous membrane. Generally 

 the two doses suffice, but it is best to follow with the same treat- 

 ment next day. Dogs can only stand from 2 to 3 grains of thymol, 

 and fowls, I find, only 1 to 2 grains, which soon removes the white 

 thread-worms (ffeteratis). 



Those vermioeous pests that attacli the air-tubes, such as the 

 gape-worm in fowls and some of the lung-worms of sheep and calves, 



