124 
editorial observations. 
the late Dr. Thomas; it is now very extensively used, and 
is found to improve the condition of the sheep. Owners of 
fluky flocks are much indebted to Mr. Thomas for its intro¬ 
duction. These reagents, however, have not as far as I have 
been able to ascertain ever removed the parasite from the 
liver of the sheep. Dock salt has doubtless mitigated the 
severity of the disease by dissolving and destroying large 
numbers of the cercariee whilst yet in the rumen, and thus 
prevented them pursuing their tunnelling operations. Salt 
is always death to the snail tribe, but it cannot possibly 
reach the fully developed fluke, exciting to disease the liver 
of the sheep. A good deal more, however, may be said in 
favour of the iron and salt remedy ; it is a useful purgative 
and an excellent tonic, and is readily taken by the sheep 
from the troughs. It is not only a valuable prophylactic, 
acting on the cercarise in the rumen in the same manner as 
rock salt, but is, to a considerable extent, a remedy for the 
ravages the liver has sustained from the operations of its 
disagreeable lodgers. Dr. Sasse, an eminent authority on 
the use of iron, says —“ The exhibition of all the prepara¬ 
tions of iron by their chemical operation on the gases con¬ 
tained in the circulatory system supplies the loss of blood- 
corpuscles ; it increases also the temperature of the animal 
body, and promotes its activity and nutrition.” Now fluky 
sheep are most deficient in the red corpuscles of the blood, 
and the use of sulphate of iron is, therefore, clearly indi¬ 
cated. This remedy, above all others, has been attended 
with the most satisfactory results. Still it will not cure 
fluke : and how is this terrible visitor to be got rid of? I 
must candidly admit that the question is a most difficult 
one to answer, and I have, after much thought and observa¬ 
tion, come to the conclusion that the only remedies are— 
1st. To get rid altogether of the sheep infested. 2nd. To burn 
the whole of the grass, carefully, on which diseased sheep 
have been depastured; but this means all ova deposited, 
and a large quantity of snails and nurses, would be destroyed. 
3rd. To kill, as far as is possible, all marsupials known to be 
infected with liver-fluke. 4th. To restock the pastures 
either with cattle or with sheep which are perfectly sound. 
By these means I do not hesitate to assert that, unless fresh 
