Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-17
A Prevalent Disease in Sheep.
Country Gentleman.


Western New York and Pennsylvania
in regard to supposed mysterious
disease which is very fatal among the
valuable flocks of Merinos in those To-
calities. Some persons have attribu-
ted tho trouble to barley straw, with
which the sheep have been fed. Now,
while all bearded straw will at times
produce disorder among sheep, from
the gathering of the sharp spines in
the cellular coats of the paunch, vet
this is quite rarely formidable
source of disease, and is quite differ
ent from this particular trouble, which
is so common as to almost amount to
am epizootic disease. The sheep die
suddenly, and without any apparent
cause, being found dead IN the pens
in the morning. After death am ex-
animation shows the bowels, liver
and, in some cases, the mesentary and
the uterus to have scattered over
them pustules or tumors filed with a
yellowish or greenish watery liquid
In some cases these are very numer-
Gus, and produce death indirectly by
reason of the irritation caused in the
peritoneal membrane which covers
them.
These pustules or watery tumors are
the cysts which enclose larvae of tape
warns, and are known as hydatids.
One Of these mature tape-worms is
known as IIGBju echjnOcOccuS, and
exists III its mature form or parasitic
n the dog ana in mankind. In its
4 10, ! fata oh
swine, hares, rabbits, deer and SOUR
rels, the hydatid is known as Echin-
Ococclts UeterinOrum. Another worm
is T'@Rid mdrgindtd, which reaches
a length of several feet. This is ex-
ceedingly abundant, and Prof. Cob
bold states that fully % per cent. Of
the dogs in England ale infested with
it. 1t is abundant wherever sheep
and dogs are kept together, and more
so where sheep are destroyed or de
voured by dogs.
The life history of the worms is as
follows A dead sheep having these
larvae in its intestines is devoured by
a dog. Every one of these germs
swallowed may produce mature tape
worm, which will produce thousands
of eggs and increase its length by add
ing new segments having the power,
when separated from another, to be-
come a living worm capable Of pro
ducing eggs The worms, or segments
of them, filled with eggs, are voided
by the dog, and, if in the field, this is
generally done upon tuft of grass,
or near stone or fence post, where
the grass offers bite for sheep. In
time the eggs are washed free from
the droppings on the grass, and are
taken up by the sheep and swallowed
| The eggs hatch in the stomach, anC
the young lhrv9 pierce the intestInes
and locate themselves in the viscera
in various situations, or they may bt
carried through the bile ducts into tn,
| liver, or by the veins, as with oul
species (CRRatrus cerebrd(iS), into tn,
brain and become the gid hydatid, OF
brain bladder worm. In these places
the larvae encyst themselves, forming
watery bladders, which remain during
| the life of the bearer. The encysteC
state of the larvae prevents them from
doing much harm to the sheep, unless
they are quite numerous, or locat,
themselves in some sensitive organ
when they usually kill their hosts, ant
thus provide FOR their own continue
/ ton.
Thus it is seen that two animals ar,
required for the perpetuation of thu
parasite If one is wanting, the crea
ture ceases to exist. IF no dogs ar,
permitted to run at large where the
sheep are grazing, or in the meadow
from which hay is cut for the sheep
or among roots also used for sheep
the sheep could not be infested with
the parasites; or, if infested, sheer
should be securely destroyed so thai
dogs could not devour the carcasses
then the dogs could not be infested
1t is obvious that there is no cure by
medicine, for no medicine could reach
the creatures encysted in a diseased
sheep. The only remedy lies in pre-
vention.
This May consist. first, in the care
full destruction of dead sheep, or The
viscera of slaughtered ones. by cover
ing them with quicklime in deeI
graves, or protecting them from
dogs by covering the graves with
boards orstones and, second, BY treat
ing the dogs so as to free them from
parasites, Keeping them tied UP during
the interval. An excellent vermifuge
for dogs consists of half q teaspoonfu'
of powdered areca nut, mixed with
butter, given three times a day, fol
lowed by dose Of castor OIL, and con
tinued for about four days. Another
and perhaps a better remedy is q
drops Of oil of male fern, 30 drops OF
oil of turpentine and 60 o. ether, bea,
up with an egg and then with broth
Afterwards a daily pill Of FIVE grains
each Of gentian, quassia and. sui
phate Of IRON, mixed with mOlasses
May be given for week.