The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-17
ANIMAL PARASITlrS.
The Department OF Agriculture TryiAg 60
Find Means or Destruction.

TIE DepartWsHt OF AgrieulturS Tryine to
FinA Means or Destruction.
WASHINGTON. Jan. IA recent discovery to
the effect that the trichinss Of pork. which
caused the American hog to be shut out OF
Europe 80 long. are from rats has given new
impetus to the pursuit OF line OF investiga-
ton which has been claiming the attention Of
the United States Government DR.. Leuck-
hart the great Leipsic professor. who made
the discovery. ascertained by the dissection OF
rats that 40 per cent Of them were infected by
trtchinR Rats are cannibals They eat their
own offspring and each other. and spread the
injection. Whether they ever die Of trichino-
sis Is not known. although It makes them
lame sometimes Pigs devour them and con-
tract tho complaint Human beings In their
turn eat the pigs. and the triohinD develop.
with fatal results frequently. The disease Is
reckoned the most deadly known. inasmuch
as it kills In 90 per cent OF oil cases Among
the animals attacked by IL are cats. dogs.
horses. bears. and rabbits. although how they
get the parasites is uncertain.
The D apartment Of Agriculture Is at present
giving earnest attention to the study Of animal
parasites. with view Of finding out methods
for fighting against some Of them which cause
loss OF many millions OF dollars yearly to
farmers. 1t has madea big discovery recently
in relation to the fatal disease Of cattle called
Texas fever which is caused by minute ami
NAL called protozopn. that feeds on the red
Recent developments OF knowledge reveal the
protoZoa as producers OF morbid complaints:
maaria 2s Is pTotazaSn which fesas on the
blood corpusctes: and another microscopic
fog Of like dissertation is Responsible for Ger
disorders not now understood will eventually
be referred to similar origin.
The department is trying to discover means
for combattng anether parasite. which causes
a a loss Of nearly $S,5Oo.O9 a year in cattle
as Sns ss eggs n asissea
The from them
condition. come out es perfect, ,flies. ready. to
being their only method Of reproduction. II a
hide ut tho market have moro than five holes
aua the sells s ss
Another insect. known in tho West as the
tho eggs to its stomach. where they are
Wsls Very S sten ih'b Bore 90 thr s The
stomach and Kin the horse; 4 parasitic worm
ns LIVER f Ssas sa durnS
lungs, OF cattle During its early growth, it
goes through a series of astonishing meta
Finally it leaves TIE body 81 tho beast, ana
what becomes OF IL IS not known precisely.
but there Is no doubt that 1t is transform cd
into species Of snail that lives in wet places
It, IT certainly puSt lay its egEs In such sp.1,ts.
| the cycle of its being.
Only a beginning has been made by this
| sites Of animals. BY always condemning the
| pigs WHICH are infected with trichinB the dis.
| flies and gadflies are combatted successfully
| and destroyed by spreading tar ointment over
the bodies Of the beasts attacked. In it's la
horc thp Rnraau NJ Animal Industry ~ tho
| Department Of Agriculture devotes its atten-
| ton first to studying tho life history Of each
| parasite. in order to find out at what stage OF
| Its existence tho enemy can be attacked to the
| best advantage. Having procured full
knowledge of the habits and manner Of exist
| ence OF the adversary. it is comparatively easy
| to interfere with its operations