484 PREVENTION OF VEEMICEOUS DISEASES. 



" hoose " is heard, it is surely advisable to remove the animal, and 

 so pre\'ent it from contaminating the groimd. 



Similar remarks apply to gapes in poultry. 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. Eims 

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

 the ova and embryos, rand chicks ought to be kept far from the 

 stock-birds. Unfortunately wild birds suft'er from gapes, so that 

 we shall constantly get fresh infestations. 



Speaking generally, we can prevent nematode diseases by isolating 

 the sufferers, burning their excrement, and removing to fresh land, 

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

 kinds of stock mitil 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 that will not bm'n the grass as well. Lastly, atten- 

 tion to the water-supply should not fail to be given during and 

 after an epizootic attack on the farm. For destroying round intes- 

 tinal worms, such as the ascarides and oxyuies, the drug called san- 

 tonine may be successfully used. It should be preceded by a pur- 

 gative 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 praga- 

 tive next morinng. By far the most certain nematocide is thymol,' 

 given in 15-grain doses morning and night, followed by a dose of 

 castor - oil. In cases of armed sclerostome attack the drug is 

 especially valuable, as it not only clears out the free red-worms 

 (.?. equinum and .S'. ietracanthum) but also destoys those encysted in 

 the mucous membrane. Generally the two doses suffice, but it is 

 best to follow with the same treatment 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 {Heterakis). 



Those vermiceous pests that attack the air-tubes, such as the gape- 

 worm in fowls and the lung-worms of sheep and calves, are best 

 destroyed by tracheal injections of camphor and creosote ; but as 

 skilled labour has to be employed, and then only one of the three 

 worms in the lamb is affected, the method is scarcely to be 

 advised, in sheep. Fumigations with sulphur, &c., are equally un- 

 satisfactory. All we can do is to keep the stock well fed, isolate 



1 Thymol can be dissolved in alcohol, and should be administered in warm 

 sweet milk. 



