4 
Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist.^' [July 1, 1899. 
reaching special organs before developement are 
the fluke affecting the liver of the sheep, and 
the parasite occurring in the briiin of the same 
aaimal and co using the disease known as sheep 
staggers, sturdy or gid. The tendency of filaria 
to reach the aqueous humour is attributed to 
its fondness for the light, and if it is not removed 
Iq time the irritation caused by its movements 
in the eye causes total blindness in the subject. 
As a pre/entive against filaria, it is advisable 
that grass should be allowed to wilt or wither be- 
fore being given to the animals, while care should 
be taken that only fresh pure water is used for 
drink, all sources of stagnant water being avoided. 
On April 27th last 1 was summoned to operate 
on a mare belonging to Mr. Jacob de Mel for the 
removal of filaria occuli. As the parasite had been 
visible on the previous evening, I recommended 
that the operation should be put off for the fol- 
lowing morning, as it is a habit of the worm to 
retreat from the light after exposing itself to its 
influence for a period, only to reappear again 
after a short interval ; again recent movements have 
a tendency to cause a cloudiness which makes the 
detection of the parasite a matter of some difficulty. 
On the day fixed for the operation I proceeded 
to cast and secure the mare, and after getting her 
head in an eleva'ed position, I induced local anaes- 
thesia by bathing the eye with a solution of cocaine. 
I, however, found it difficult to bring the parasite 
and keep it steady at the proposed seat of pnncture 
(the upper and outer margin of the cornea). It 
occurred to me at this stage that the fact of the 
parasite affecting the light might be taken advan- 
tage of by placing and artificial light opposite 
the seat of operation, and the worm so attracted to 
and kept steady at the required point. To this 
end I ordered a lighted candle, by the use of which 
I was able to attain my object, viz., the removal of 
the worm with ease and certainty. 
II. PROTBACTED LABOUB. of 12 HOURS IN A Mare. 
On May 28th last I received a call to attend on 
a chestnut Delft pony mare at Messrs. Walles' yard 
in Colpetty. This mare had been brought over 
from Delft and landed by the Government Vete- 
rinary Surgeon, as far as I could ascertain, on the 
,>th of April. The pony which had been sold to, 
and is now in the possession of an officer of 
the H.L.I. Regiment did not show any symp- 
toms of ill-healtu till May 27th, when labour 
pains began at about 10 p.m., and soon after 
the attendant in charge noticed the bursting 
of the water-bag. All through the night of 
the 27th the animal was in labour and con- 
tinued to strain with no result. On my arrival 
the next morning (about 10 a.m.) I found that 
the animal in poor condition and unable to 
help the natural process of foaling by any effort 
on her part. 1 proceeded to administer a dose of 
ergot and sulphuric ether, and on e.x;aminatioa 
found the knees of the foetus bent and the head and 
neck only protruding. Pushing ba«k the head, I 
succeeded with some difficulty in securing both the 
forelegs one after the other, and with a steady pull 
managed to get the position of a normal presen- 
tation and delivered the foetus (which was larger 
than was to be expected) in a dead condition. As 
the foetus was fully formed 1 considered this q, 
case of premature birth and not of abortion. In the 
light of my knowledge of the history of the mare 
I would ascribe the cause of her premature labour 
to the effects of lier recent sea-voyage, while pro- 
traction of labour is attributable to her low condi- 
tion and consequent weak state of health. 
The temperature of the mare, after delivery of 
the foetus, was lO.j" F., and the pulse frequent and 
small. 1 prejcribed the following: — 
Sod. hyposulph. ... 6 drs, 
Mag. sulph. ... ... 10 oz. 
Aq. camph. ... ... 1 pt. 
\ part every 8 hours- 
Later, on the temperature rising to 106° F., and 
the animal becoming very dull and refusing all 
nourishment, 1 gave 
Tine, aconit. ... ... i dr. 
Tine, digit. ... ... 20 m.m. 
Water ... ... 1 pt. 
^ part every 4 hours. 
On the 30th the fever was reduced to 102° F,, 
and the following mixture was prescribed : — 
Quiu. sulp. ... ... 2 drs. 
Acid, sulph. ... ... 1^ drs. 
Spt. Aeth. Nit. ... ... 2 oz. 
Aq. msnth. Ppt. ... 1 pt. 
\ part every 4 hour.*;. 
The womb was washed twice a day with Cindy's 
fluid, and the mare is now quite recovered. 
D. A. CHINNIAH, Veterinary Surgeon. 
SISAL HEMP. 
The question of cultivating this plant which 
has proved a source of large profits to growers in 
the Bahamas and other parts (and in which our 
Secretary for the Colonies i? said to be financially 
interestedj, has never been seriously thought of 
in Csylon. Quite lately a good deal of interest 
was evinced in the Mauritius hemp traceable no 
doubt to the fact that a " new p.itent" was being 
"boomed" through local speculators. What has 
been the outcome of the mild excitement over 
Mauritius hemp as the deus ex machina which 
was to come to the rescue of the planter when 
low prices and other unavoidable circumstances 
placed him in jeopardy, we have never been able 
to find out. But one thing is certain, and that is 
that we are not likely to hear of further trials 
with new patent machines for treating Mauritius 
hemp in Ceylon. 
We read in the Indian Agriculturist of no less 
an authority than Mr. Marshall Woodrow of the 
Indian Botanical Department pledging his faith 
in sisal hemp as an Indian fibre crop, and for the 
benefit of our readers who may see a possibilicy of 
growing sisal in Ceylon under similar conditions 
to those obtaining in India, we reproduce the 
remarks referred to above : — 
Mr. Marshall Woodrow is so fully persuadee 
that sisal hemp is a good thing that he is deter- 
miued to sacrifice Government service for it, and 
to start a limited liability company to grow and 
manufacture it. Mr. Woodrow, it will be re- 
membered, introduced a few sisal hemp plants 
into the country seven years ago, and they grew 
remarkably well, giving 10,000 young plantsj 
The fibre fromjthe original plants proved ojE high 
