Symbiotic Acariasis in Sheep. 191 



to make the dressing effective. Owners therefore should accom- 

 pany the shipment by a certificate of soundness, and at places of 

 detention the inspector of the bureau should personally see the 

 dipping, and give a certificate for movement only when the 

 disease has been eradicated. 



Owners shipping store sheep would consult their own interest 

 by passing them through an effective dip just before shipment, as 

 this would prevent the attack of the parasite even if it were met 

 with in transit, and obviate the conveyance of the parasite on 

 their fleeces to infest cars and other objects and places. This is 

 unsuited to fat sheep going to slaughter and these are accordingly 

 more liable to infest objects in transit, and being more slightly 

 affected are more liable to be overlooked. 



Similar measures should be adopted by a state, in case of the 

 movement of sheep within its own borders. To do effective 

 work the Federal and State Laws and inspectors must work har- 

 moniously, in one line, to one end. Efficient work should eradi- 

 cate the parasite from the United States and with it one of the 

 worst drains on the .sheep industry. Drawbacks unfortunately 

 are often to be met within official ranks, as when an eminent 

 secretary of agriculture .stated : " It is believed that if sheep are 

 wet and crowded during a voyage, scab may be generated by 

 these conditions." (Report for 1896, p. 31). 



SYMBIOTIC ACARIASIS (SCABIES) IN SHEEP. FOOT 



SCAB. 



Symbiotes scabei v. ovis : Like that of horse and ox, but does not live 

 permanently on these. Most serious in winter ; may not show, though pres- 

 ent in summer. Symptoms : Redness, itching, swelling, scurf of the lower 

 parts of the limbs, stamping, rubbing, gnawing, cracks, bleeding, sores ; 

 acarus under crusts, not under epidermis. Lesions may extend to the fore 

 limbs, arms and thighs ; has been taken for foot-rot. Treatment : Any of 

 the anti-psoric liniments, ointments or dips ; even pure glycerine, bland oil, 

 or vaseline. 



This is caused by the Symbiotes (Chorioptes, Dermato- 

 phagus) Scabei var. Ovis, and pre.sents the same morphological 

 characters as the symbiotes of the horse and ox. The disease is 

 rare and spreads slowly from sheep to sheep, showing itself 



