Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-08-04
From the Indiana Farmer
BOTS IN HORSES.

I l, for many years, yielded to the current o
popular opinion; that the Bot-worms destroyed
the horses by eating through the stomach, ane
of course that this one Of the many evil
inflicted upon animal life,for Adams Iransgres
| sion But upon reflection have become con
vinced that neither the one, nor the other are
correctly founded first sought for reason
! why God should destroy this noble animal by
such despicatle nsect-but finding none BE-
gan to inquire into IFS natural habits, use &C.
And from observe ton have come TO the following
conclusion:
OBSERVATIONS.
lst. Wild horses, in a state Of nature, are
| known to die Of bots.
I'd. Domesticatcd horses, that are allowed to
run at large, and unrestrained, never die OF
bots.
81. Horses whose food is not changed, and
that not over heated, siintcd in food, never
die Of bots.
4th. The bot worm does not eat through the
stomach of the horse, but is invariably found
attached to his stomach by its taiI-end, and goes
through tail foremost
9TH Bots opt 4 hu-. horse. in the
spring and TALL or soon after changing the horses
food from green to dry or from dry to green; the
theory would offer upon this part is, that the
worm eats of the food th;t the horse eats; and
has its preference of different kinds Of food and
that when deo cd Of its choice food, or stintei
III the quantity, it pierces the horses stomach by
it adheres t. its posIti N, and thus bv Continuing
TO bore deeper, finally gets through. And thus
makes holes through the stomach by which the
gases and Juices of the stomach escapes into the
abdomen which occasions, sometimes distortion,
and sometimes nflima, on of the Peritonoum,
" hch soon DESTROYS tho horse.
The worm itself is necessary for The health Of
the horse by piercing mot through) The coats Of
his stomach, exctes his appetite by irri,a ton
But error in food, that does satisfy the worm,
induces II to commit another error, viz: that of
continuing its irritation TOO long, by which il
,ierces through the stomach and DESTROYS the |
supporter Of its own life. Mn to often commits
he same error, by straning the springs Of life to
ar, in the lap of pleasure brings sudden and |
destructon-why should we be sur
'rIsed If a Of the bot kind should err?
Another instance of error in the action of the
ots that sometimes they collect in such num-
ers within the lower orifice Of the ocsophagus,
{ swallow to choak the horse-in these in
tances the death of the horse is sudden and like
ne in fit.
l need not describe the bot, as every ono who ,
ill open the stomach Of that animal can see i
lem. will now, offer a remedy which is all a
sady suggested:
let. Never change the horses food from green ,
} dry, suddenly, and preservingy. I
ID. Never change from dry btosgreen, unless I
Oh can keep him to the green for length Of c
me. a
Sd. Observe the same rule in changing from Ii
'rn to oats, or vice versa a
4th. II the horse is seized with the bots, Ell o
er drench the horse with something the worm Il
i'll not eat and that will nauseate it, and des- e
oy its appetite such swee,ened milk, blood, 81
esh meat, or CUTS Of fowls, &c. cl
9Th. Or drench him with something thar will
tisfy the cravings Of hunger in the bots, such I'll
green moss off Of old logs decoction of fr
oSs, green blue grass &c s.
9TH Or which should be first tried-if the n,
rse when found to be sick is not SO AZ tn re- u,
'e TO eat, turn him into lot Of blue grass, or 4
'od where differen, kinds of moss grows, (f 10 be
3 winter,) and the horse will soon be for ma o,
,g a selection that will quiet the bots Gu
These remarks are offered for the interest Of La
n aud the comfort Of the horse. The atten-
n of the scientific, who take an interest in err
s useful animal. IS particularly called to this en-
.ject Aud if the observation OF others con- If,
rs these Of mine, ! shall feel mach grtified,
amply compensated for the time devoted TO ,w
subject. ~
Yours with much esteem.
S. J. SCOTT. n,