Parasites of the Liver. 361 



begin to leave the liver after three weeks ; many, however, sur- 

 vive for six months, and Gerlach sets the limit at from nine to 

 twelve months, while Thomas claims to have seen the parasites 

 in two sheep fifteen months after infesting. A period of seclu- 

 sion of one year would meet the requirements in almost every 

 case. 



Soiling might be adopted as a prophylactic measure, as it 

 would prevent the diffusion on the pastures of the dropping of 

 the sheep and their myriads of ova, and in the absence of the 

 embryos the molluscs would escape infesting, so that the parasite 

 would not be found in the cercaria or encysted form in the follow- 

 ing season. The manure of the sheep could be safely used on 

 dry cultivated lands. If spread on pasture it should be first 

 thoroughly salted. 



Zundel advised two sheep pastures, for the first and second 

 halves of the year respectively, to limit the numbers of the flukes, 

 but this would have only a partially beneficial effect. 



Invigorating the Sheep. Shelter from severe storms and 

 damp beds is important. A rich, dry grain feeding is no less so. 

 The distoma is a blood sucker and the disease is one of anaemia 

 and debility. A rich diet is a desideratum. We should .second 

 the natural inclination of the sheep in giving dry upland pastures 

 with dry, sweet, aromatic grasses. Better still to give farinaceous 

 grain or leguminous seeds — oats, maize, barley, rye, beans, peas, 

 lentils. Ivinseed cake, rape cake or cottonseed meal may be 

 substituted. A well balanced ration may be secured by combin- 

 ing the grains with the more nitrogenous seeds. A daily ration 

 of Yt. lb. will usually suffice. These are often given with iron 

 aromatics and bitters, as in the following : 



Linseed, rape, pea, oat, barley or corn meal, or unbolted wheat flour 40 lbs. 



Powdered gentian or anise seed 4 lbs. 



Common salt 4 lbs. 



Sulphate or oxide of iron i lb. 



This mixture may be given to the amount of ^ pint daily. 



Veith advises the addition of oak bark, calamus root, and 

 juniper berries, and Trasbot advises that of dried leaves of oak, 

 elm, hornbeam, and other astringents, together with their young 

 shoots and buds. 



Curative Treatment. No remedy can be absolutely relied 



