April 1, 1901] Supplement to the Tropical AffviouUurisiJ 
729 
as for caulking vessels, but is chiefly valued as 
a medicine, being employed externally for rheu- 
matism and also in the treatment of indolent sores. 
Watt mentions the curious fact that though it 
cannot compete with castor oil for industrial 
purposes, it fetches in Burma four-times the 
Calcutta price of castor oil. Samples of the tliree 
last-mentioned oils were submitted to Mr. L. Field, 
a well-known expert in oils, and in a report sub- 
mitted by him he speaks very highly of them, and 
expresses the opinion that a very large demand 
for them would arise if they could be supplied at 
a cheap rate. 
11, Margosa or Kohomba Oil.— This is 
tl(e product of Azadriachta mdica (Meliaceae), a 
handsome tall tree common in the dry country. 
It is extensively employed as an external appli- 
cation for rheumatism, also as an anthilmentic 
and antiseptic. It is invaluable as a cattle 
medicine in the treatment of wounds, and even 
foot and mouth disease, owing to its antiseptic 
properties, and in keeping off flies. The powerful 
and disgusting odour of the oil is its most objection- 
able property. 
12. KoN Oil.— This is the product of Schlei- 
cfiera tvijuya (Sapindacaceae), a handsome tree 
called the Ceylon oak. The oil which is clear and 
liquid is used for culinary and illuminating pur- 
poses- It is reported, says Watt, to be the original 
Macassar oil, and has recently reappeared in 
German commerce under that name. 
— . ^ 
QUARTER-ILL. 
We omitted to acknowledge the authorship of 
the short accoimt of this disease which appeared 
in the last number of the Magazine, and which 
was written by Veterinary-Surgeon Chiuniah. 
We make no apology for returning to this subject 
ill view of the report that cases of Quarter-ill 
occurred in the Government Dairy not long ago, 
and as an unfamiliar form of disease among local 
stock, we would quote from an exhaustive article 
by Veterinary-Surgeon Ilutcheou (appearing in 
the Cape Agricultural Journal of January 17th) 
the reference to "Preventives" in dealing with 
Quarter-ill : — 
The only preventives of Quarter-ill are a com- 
plete change of pasture and iuocculation. Even 
if it is impracticable to remove the susceptible 
cattle to another farm, a change to a different 
part of the same farm, accompanied by a change 
of kraal as well, will often arrest the further 
spread of the disease. 
Care should, however, be exercised not to remove 
any affected animal along with the herd, as that 
would tend to spread the infection. If it is 
impossible to arrange for a complete change of 
pasture, no time should be lost in getting all the 
young stock iuocculated. 
Previous to the discovery of inoculation by 
Arloing. Cornevin and Thomas, a considerable 
number of preventive remedies for this disease were 
practised by stock -farmers, and even by the Native 
tribes. Reasoning from the fact that the yoiing 
stock which are rapidly improving in 'condition 
are the most susceptible to an attack of the disease, 
IV large number of these preventive remedies took 
the form of measures for lowering the couditioa 
of the animal and reducing the richness of its 
blood, such as bleeding, purging, driving the 
animals violently for considerable distances, or 
swimming them through a river or large dam 
daily, turning them on to poor pasture, or in 
other ways reducing their allowance of food. 
" Want of exercise causes an accumulation of 
lactic acid in the muscles, this favours the germi- 
nation of the spores." (Salmon.) Inserting a peg 
orseton in the dewlap is a preventive upon which 
great reliance is placed. In what manner this 
setou exerci-es its beneficial effects has never been 
properly explained. Many are of opinion that it 
is the means of introducing septic organisms 
which have an antagonistic action to the organisms 
of Quarter-evil, Be that as it may, a firm belief 
in the efficacy of setoning as a preventive of 
Quarter-evil was world- ivide, and many still 
believe in its efficacy, notwithstanding that it 
has completely failed to justify that opinion when 
submitted to an experimental te-t. Others again 
placed great reliance on the introduction of certain 
medicinal or antidotal agents into the system of 
the animals to ward off the disease. The follow- 
ing amongst a host of others were largely used : 
the sulphite and hypo-sulphite of soda, and 
carbolic acid and its compounds. One writer 
pins his faitn to madder, while another has equal 
confidence in saltpetre. There are many who 
believe in the efficacy of a lick made up of com- 
mon salt, sulphur, copperas, lime and saltpetre, 
while others again pin their faith to the ad- 
ministration of Stockholm tar. Garlic is another 
remedy which is largely used in this Colony, not 
only as a prev'entive of sponsziekte, but of the 
majority of the specific diseases of stock, such 
as Rinderpest, Horse-sickness, &c. Theie are 
various methods of using the garlic. Some make 
a small pocket under the skin in the dewlap, and 
insert one or two of the bulblets in there, while 
others insert them into similar pockets under the 
skin in various parts of the body. Oil of garlic, 
like oil of mustard, is a germicide ; it is aUo very 
volatile, permeating the whole system in addition 
to setting up severe local irritation. It is just 
possible, therefore, that garlic and some of the 
other popular remedies may exercise some preven- 
tive effect against Quarter-evil for a limited time. 
It is probable, however, that many of these 
popular remedies have established their reputation 
as preventives of the disease from the fact that, 
during certain years when the remedy has been 
resorted to, the disease did not occur, the local or 
general conditions not being favourable ; and o,n 
other occasions it has ceased to spread owing to 
the presence of natural causes, concurrent with 
the application of a certaiu remedy, but few — if 
any — of these popular preventive remedies have 
stood the test of continued experiencf, 
Quarter-evil exhibits certain peculiarities in 
respect to the manner in which it may appear and 
disappear amongst cattle on a farm. The disease 
sometimes appears with great virulence on a farm 
during one year, and it may then skip one to two 
years before it reappears. Further, cattle may have 
been grazing for six, nine, or twelve mouths on 
certaiu pastures without a single case of the disease 
