ter, test the water with your hand. 
It should be heated just to the point 
at which you can keep your hand 
immersed without discomfort. 
e Wet a sponge or cloth thoroughly 
with the water and rub it firmly over 
the animal’s body where eggs of the 
common bot fly are seen. 
The firm rubbing is necessary to 
impart heat and moisture quickly in 
order to hatch the eggs. The newly 
hatched bots will die soon after they 
-hatch. 
Internal Treatment 
This treatment consists of putting 
carbon disulfide directly into the 
stomach of the animal. The chemical 
acts as a fumigant; it poisons the 
bots, causing them to release their 
hold on the walls of the stomach and 
intestines. If administered improp- 
erly, this chemical can kill the 
animal. 
To be most effective, carbon di- 
sulfide should be given 1 month 
Dur- 
ing the month between treatments, 
after the hot-water treatment. 
the bots that were burrowing in the 
mouth at the time of the warm-water 
bath will have reached the stomach 
or the intestines, where the carbon 
disulfide is effective. 
Steps in obtaining and administer- 
ing the treatment are: 
e Early in the fall, make an appoint- 
ment with a veterinarian to have 
your animals treated on the desired 
date. 
e Fast the animals for 18 hours be- 
fore they are to be treated. 
e The veterinarian administers car- 
bon disulfide by stomach tube, or he 
inserts carbon disulfide in gelatin 
tablets into the animal’s stomach 
with a balling gun. A horse weigh- 
ing about 1,000 pounds is given 6 
drams of the chemical. Smaller ani- 
mals are given less. Yearling colts 
should not receive over 3 drams. 
e Do not feed or water the animal 
for 3 hours after the administration 
of carbon disulfide. 
COMMUNITY CONTROL 
PROGRAMS 
A number of communities have 
attempted bot contro! by a systematic 
treatment of all donkeys, mules, 
horses, and colts. In only 1 year 
such treatment has greatly decreased 
the annoyance from bot flies and has 
improved the health of the animals. 
It appears possible to achieve a 
high degree of control of bot flies by 
2 or 3 years of systematic commu- 
nity effort. Animals should be 
treated both with hot-water washes 
and with carbon disulfide. 
To arrange for a community con- 
trol program, consult your county 
agent, farm advisor, or veterinarian. 
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1959 OF —495799 
