Feb. 1, 1902,] Supplement to the "Tropical AgricuUiirist.'' 
575 
DISTOMATOSIS. 
Veterinary Capt. H. Pease, Principal of the 
Veterinary College, Lahore, draws attention to the 
occurrence of this dise sse among cattle and buf- 
faloes in India, in a note contributed to The Agri- 
cultural Ledger, The writer's investigations into 
the disease were undertaken as the result of 
serious mortality occurring in the vicinity of the 
Collair lake in the Madras Presidency. Since that 
outbreak the disease was observed to be more or 
less prevalent wherever lowlying swamps were 
found to occur, particularly in such country as is 
subject to periodic inundations. 
Some years ago the dry cattle and growing 
animals belonging to the Government Dairy herd 
were removed to the premises known (by name 
only) as the Model Farm at Kanatte, with the 
result that many of the stock were attacked by 
and succumbed to an affection which there seems 
to be little doubt, from the description of the 
disease given in Capt, Pease's note, was Dis- 
tomatosis. As a result the use of the premises 
referred to a? pasture land for the Government 
Dairy herd had to be abandoned. The Model 
Farm is just such an area as is described above, 
where Distoma would find a congenial habitat. 
We give below the more useful portion of Dr 
Pease's note for the benefit of our readers : — 
Most marked Symptoms. — The most marked 
symptoms of this disease are gradual emaciation, 
unhealthy appearance of the skin, watery condi- 
lion of the mucous membranes, .ind what is more 
especially noticed by the people, the appearance 
of oedemata on the dewlap, and sometimes also 
in the sub-maxillary space and under the abdo- 
men. The skin becomes dry and the animal 
hidebound. Digestion is deranged, rumination 
and the action of the bowels irregular, the animal 
sometimes being constipated and at others suf- 
fering from diarrhoea. These symptoms gradually 
increase in intensity, and diarrhoea becoming 
marked death supervenes from exhaustion at 
between two and four months after the first 
symptoms have been noticed. 
Post-mortem appearances. — The following joo«<- 
mortem appearances may be observed in the buffalo 
and ox. Body extremely emaciated, the skin 
hidebound and dry ; dropsical effusions into the 
subcutaneous tissues, the fat replaced by a gela- 
tinous-looking material. All the tissues are pale 
and flabby. Liver greatly enlarged, all ducts and 
gall bladder filled with large flukes. Over 100 
have been removed from frhe gall bladder. The 
bile black in colour, duct dilated. 
The Parasite. — The parasite causing the disease 
is Fasciola hepatica angusta. Considerable in- 
terest attaches to the parasite which 'causes this 
disease. Its occurrence has not previously been 
recorded in this country. It has, however, been 
described by Eaillet in 1895 from specimens taken 
from Cattle slaughtered at St. Louis, Senegal, 
Blanchard thinks it identical with Fasciola gig an- 
tea of the giraffe. Laoss has described under 
the name of Fasciola Egyptiaca, a parasite 
occurring iu Bos taurus and Bos bubalus in li^gypt 
which Blancliard considers identical with the 
fluke we are at preseijt dealing witk. The pecu- 
liar features of this fluke are its great length 
as compared with its breadth: it is a long and 
narrow and flat fluke. Eaillet's specimen.^ mea- 
sured from 26 to 38 miliraelres in length and 
were from 6 to 8 milimetres broad, or rnughly 
from one to one and a half inches lotu and a 
quarter of an inch broad. All the specimens 
I have are well over an inch long and ' th broad. 
Tlie parasites when freshly taken are of a flesh" 
colour and semi-transparent. Thej present all 
the characters ot Fasciola. The intestines are 
branched and ramified. The body tapers in front 
so as to form a cephalic prolongation at the 
end of which the mouth is situated. The aceta- 
bulum opens very close to this on the ventral 
surface,; it is of fair size and salient, with a 
triangular orifice the base anterior : the body 
then rapidly gains its greatest breadth which 
gradually tapers towards the tail narrowing the 
inferior extremity being rounded. The integu- 
ment is covered with small spines, especially 
on the ventral surface and in front. The genital 
pore is situated a little in front of the acetabulum, 
it often shows the ejaculatory canal evaginated 
in the form of a penis. The eggs which may 
easily be obtained by opening the uterus in front 
of the ventral opening are ovoid and relatively 
long. The shell is very thin, and one may rften 
observe a small opercule, and at tlie other a slight, 
more or less irregular elevation. The size" of 
the eggs seems to vary from 143 to 150 ft. in 
length and 82 to 87 u. iu breadth. Altogether 
there is not much difficulty in distinguishing this 
worm owing to its great length and narrow 
breadth. 
HOW TO PREPARE SEED BEDS. 
1 wish to say in the beginning that improved 
methods do not imply more labour, but they do 
imply more painstaking. It means the taking 
advantage of favourable conditions and creating 
conditions that are needed, and more than that, 
it means the getting of exact results, leaving 
nothing to chance. It is not necessary to give 
the many reasons suggested to show that plant 
beds well burned give the best results, except to 
say that it destroys the vegetable and insect 
life, and permits the plant to occnpy the entire 
soil undisturbed. Select for your seed bed fresh 
land if possible on a hill slope where it will not be 
shaded, and near water not subject to overflow 
as the land will be moist and need no watering'. 
Black soil is to be preferred as it absorbs a greater 
degree of heat. Clear the ground of undergrowth 
and stone, and then put on a layer of brush and 
leaves to the thickness of 2 or 3 feet, and then on 
the top put wood and logs, covering it well over 
so that when it is burned it will leave a heavy 
bed of coals. 
The ground should be burned until it is a red 
or brick dust colour, in order to destroy all seeds 
and insect life, and so as to completely pulverize 
the soil. Do not burn when the ground is wet. 
When it is cool rake off all unburned wood but 
allow tiie ashes to remain on the bed, and then 
spade it up to the depth of 6 inches, being careful 
to reverse the soil. It should be then well 
