Parasites of the Liver. 343 



The lesions vary much, according to the severity of the attack 

 and the stage of the disease. As in the case of other parasitisms 

 the yonng and immature sheep suffer most, and flock masters 

 feel that they would do well if they could preserve the lambs over 

 the first year of their lives. 



Treatment. Therapeutic treatment has been very unsatisfac- 

 tory. The usual tseniafuges (pumpkin seed, pomegranate root 

 bark, kooso, kamala, male fern, santonin, oil of turpentine) have 

 proved virtually useless. This is, however, equally true in the 

 case of the taenia expansa, and may be charged to a great extent 

 to the certainty almost of the dilution of the taeniacide to com- 

 plete inactivity through admixture with the ample contents of the 

 first three stomachs. In the case of the taenia fimbriata, there is 

 the super-added difi&culty of reaching the mature worms which 

 are deeply secluded in the bile ducts. The most promising treat- 

 ment, one which might be successfully applied to high-priced 

 sheep that can be kept up and treated individually, is unfortu- 

 nately inapplicable to the flocks that range at large over the 

 Rocky Mountains and the Plains. Where the value of the ani- 

 mal would warrant it, the administration once or twice a day of 

 one-half to one grain of arsenious acid in solid form, mingled with 

 sodium bicarbonate, would probably act beneficially as it does in 

 the case of taenia expansa. It may be borne in mind that the 

 young taenia, which are most sensitive to toxic influences, are for 

 a time confined to the duodenum, and therefore are as easily 

 reached as the taenia expansa. The arsenious acid administered 

 in the solid form is dissolved slowly and imperfectly as it passes 

 through the stomachs and intestines, yet in sufficient amount to 

 prove poisonous to the tape- worm. By thus cutting off the young 

 worms in the duodenum we should prevent the invasion of the 

 liver. Yet the agent is too dangerous an one to be scattered reck- 

 lessly in troughs, or still worse, on the soil, in connection with 

 salt or feed which the sheep will voluntarily consume. It is only 

 in the most intelligent and careful hands that such an agent can 

 be trusted. Majowski extols napthaHn one dram twice daily as 

 best. Thymol might be tried as for uncinaria. 



Prevention. The effective treatment of this disease must be in 

 the way of prophylaxis. But as yet we are barred from making 

 this as effective as it ought to be, because of our utter ignorance 



