SHEEP SCAB. 199 



the wool into the skin, causing inflammation of the skin and con- 

 siderable irritation. 



TREATMENT. 



Suggestions. — Treatment is comparatively easy where there 

 are but few sheep, but more difficult with large flocks. The size of 

 the tank, material to be used and method of dipping must depend 

 upon the number of sheep, accessibility and expensiveness of dif- 

 ferent materials. The dipping, as a rule, should be done after 

 shearing, but it should be remembered that treatment for any par- 

 asitic disease of sheep should be given as early as practicable. 

 Some good may be accomplished if the wool is parted by hand and 

 care taken to get the medicine down to the skin, but it is the usual 

 experience that dipping unshorn sheep is much less satisfactory. 

 The entire flock must lie dipped ; that is, those that are apparently 

 well as well as those that are diseased. And the owner must bear 

 in mind that, even after shearing, the wool may be a source of dan- 

 ger, and should be so kept and handled as to avoid the possibility 

 of reinfection. Dipping is effective only when it is thoroughly 

 done. Tobacco, crude carbolic acid, arsenic, lime and sulphur are 

 the various ingredients that are commonly used in dipping for 

 scab. The quantity of dip required per sheep varies from two to 

 four gallons, according to the number of sheep dipped and the 

 material used. Less dip is needed for shorn than unshorn sheep. 

 It is a good rule to use any dip at about I io degrees Fahrenheit, 

 and a good plan to nib the scabs with a stiff brush while the sheep 

 are in the dip. Dipping should be repeated in eight days, and in 

 some cases it may be necessary to give even a third dipping after 

 a second interval of eight to ten days. 



Dips. — A great variety of dips have been recommended and 

 successfully used. Several of the patent dips give excellent results, 

 but these are usually more expensive than others and are objec- 

 tionable, inasmuch as we do not know their composition. The fol- 

 lowing are perhaps as good as any. 



Texas dip. — What is known as the Texas dip is composed as 

 follows : Thirty pounds tobacco, seven pounds sulphur, three 

 pounds concentrated lye, ioo gallons water. Allow the tobacco to 

 soak in a portion of the water, which should be kept warm, for 

 from eight to ten hours ; then add the sulphur, remainder of the 

 water and concentrated lye, and boil for half an hour. Stir fre- 

 quently while using. 



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