EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
549 
According to official announcement, the bad weather 
of last season is being repeated, with the difference that 
it began some seven weeks later. A cold, dry spring 
was certainly unfavorable to the development of the fluke 
in any of its stages, and had the promise of a warm, sunny 
summer been realised, we might have had our pastures freed 
from the germs of the parasites for some time to come, hut, 
on the contrary, all the climatic conditions during June and 
July have been eminently favorable to the development of 
parasites, and, unless the greatest care is taken, we shall see 
another outburst of the disease in a few months, as the results 
of the return of the parasites which are now being swal¬ 
lowed by animals which are feeding on pasture, especially in 
the low-lying and undrained districts. 
No new means of combating the adverse influences 
to which sheep and cattle are now being exposed present 
themselves for consideration. The discovery of a specific 
for “ rot ” has yet to be made, but there is a rational 
plan of treatment which has been found to act so bene¬ 
ficially as to deserve a trial until something better is 
found out. 
In the first place, the more the sheep are kept off the wet 
lands the better for their health and comfort; but, as they 
must feed on grass more or less, and in the act of feeding 
infest themselves with flukes, it is desirable to supply them 
at the same time with an antiparasitic in the form of salt, 
with the object of killing as many of the germs as possible. 
Manger food should he given as liberally as a due regard to 
economy will permit, and salt should always be added to 
whatever food is given in this way. The weakest animals 
naturally go to the wall first and they should receive special 
attention. To save time some such combination as we 
recommended a short time ago for general use should be 
kept at hand and given day by day. 
Careful management of the flock and of the pastures on 
which they feed will materially moderate the losses from 
liver rot in the course of the next autumn and winter, but 
it is to be feared that no care will entirely avert the calamity 
if the heavy rainfall should continue. 
