Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-11
SCRATCHES.

]
Scratches, or mud fever, occurs in horses
commonly in the spring of the year. 1t
arises from an unhealthy condition of the
skin, and may be cured nine times out Of
ten by cutting off the hair around the
cracks, so that they can be cleaned and
washing clean with CASTLE soap and warm
water, after which carbolic acid or glycero,
tannin, or tar, may be applied with good
effect, or grease from the rind of Il ham.
or the rind itselfif bound on will have an
excellent effect, there being enough creo-
sote in it to have cleansing effect. This
said Prof. Cressy, is also excellent for
foot-rot in sheep; for that trouble, double
the rind together flesh side out, draw it in
between the toes and bind it there
If the scratches are very bad, and of
long standing, the cracks deep and the
edges thickened, bleed the parts by scarf
flying the edges, and make frequent appl-
cations of cold water.
An old remedy for such cases is to fill
the crack with calomcl and bind it in. and
when granulation begins, cure will be
surprisingly rapid.
he lecturer mentioned a case in his
practice where for six weeks the horse
had not been able to be used, which in
ten days were entirely cured, though the
skin was cracked quite through. Proven
tive means in this disease are most i'm
portant, as it is easier to prevent, than to
cure. The foot should be kept moist and
skin healthy, which in nine cases out of
ten will prevent the trouble when there is
y tendency to it. In reply to Il question,
Professor Crcssy said he thought scratches
would not break out merely from bud con-
dition Of the blood; but when sore exists. |
any impure condition of the blood will
find issue there and aggravate the trouble.
BOTS.
Bots are grubs Matched from the eggs of
the bot fly. This fly is most active and
Troublesome in the hottest weather; in
cold, wet weathes it is dormant or nearly
so. They lay their eggs on the legs ofthe
horse from whence they are taken into the
stomach where they hatch into grubs, and
in this state are known as bots; they at
.ach themselves to the walls of the stom-
leh, and draw their nutrition from that
furnished the animal, and from the Juices
Of the stomach. They cause some irrla-
ion, but are not generally very trouble.
some. After II time they fall off from the
walls of the stomach and pass off in the
manure. from which they emerge in the
orm of fly, and again 90 through the
anne round.
Bots may generally be expelled by Civ
ng the horse sWeetencd milk. and will let
20 their hold to take it the better. An
ctive cathartic will then bring them
way.
Another form of bot is found in the !,
ead of the sheep. when they are n
allied grub.in the-head. These come
rom an egg laid in the nose of the sheep.
where they are Matched and work their ,
vay up the nasal passages, and in rams
hey are often found in the horns, but they
ever work out Of these sinuses into the ,
rain, and the lecturer did not think they
yer caused death in sheep otherwise in ,
God condition.
Another parasite found in the brain, and +
often mistaken for grub,in-the- head, is :
ne hydatid, coming from a tape worm .
hitch was taken into the stomach, and ,
nds its way through the circulation to the
rain. producing gid in the head. No
ure is known except cutting through the
IuIi and taking out the grub with
rocked wire. {