THE BOT OF THE HORSE. 161 
deposit them in the nostrils, which will become so torment- 
ing as to create great danger to the rider. 
There exists a great contrariety of opinion as to the effect 
of bots on the animal economy; some arguing that, be their 
number what it may, in the various sites they are found 
no harm results, or that they occasion death ; while others 
contend that they have seen angina of the pharynx, 
oesophagitis, and gastritis excited by their presence in large 
numbers ; though, by the other party it is said, such inflamma- 
tions owe their rise to other causes. These varieties of 
opinion seem to me to admit of reconciliation by reference to 
age, and breed, and temperament of the horse; the number of 
such parasites, and places whereto they fix themselves ; the 
climate in which such observations are made ; and, lastly, the 
morbid complications. 
In 1824, the first year of my entrance to the royal stud at 
Sardaigne, about the middle of July, I perceived several of 
the colts, in their second year, not thriving ; while others in 
the same herd, of the same age, were keeping up good con- 
dition. Under these circumstances I deemed it best to make 
a separation of them, in order to transfer the non-thriving 
into a richer pasturage. More than eight days passed, when, 
going to visit the pasture according to custom, to my great 
surprise one was missing ; I searched everywhere, but could 
not find him. It struck me he might be dead, perhaps : 
seeing at a distance some birds of prey, I soon discovered the 
carcase. I could find, on examination, no other morbid signs 
than perforation of the stomach, not far from the pylorus, 
opposite the liver, through which many bots had escaped, and 
were fixed to the peritoneum, while others were swimming 
in fluid which had run out. Inflammation was perceptible 
all through the lining of the duodenum. I lost no time in 
having the other colts taken up from grass, and exhibiting to 
them all kinds of anthelmintics, with rich provender, &c. ; 
for all of them had pallid mucous membranes, yellowish tinge 
of sclerotica, dilated pupils, feeble pulse, tucked-up flanks, 
with lean condition, bordering on marasmus; excrements 
dark coloured, and exhaling an odour fetid, and sui generis so, 
with a long train of mucous matter following their discharge, 
burning powdery, and turning saffron-coloured. One of the 
colts died, and his opening presented three perforations at 
short distances apart ; but, though so small that scarce a 
nut could pass through, had given issue to liquid matters, in 
which were found bots and alimentary matters. The anthel- 
mintics, such as calomel, root of malefern, castor oil, &c., 
were employed in vain. 
