Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-26
Lice on Animals.

Press bulletin OF the Kansas expert
ment station follows:
These wingless insects are found
parasitic on all animals. Cattle are un-
fortunate in being the most common
victims of lOusiness. Sheep are rarely
affected. We meet with this disease
nose frequently during the winter
months, in neglected. half-starved.
dirty animals. Young animals are es-
pacially liable to be infected. Some
times. however, even well-kept cattle
suffer severely.
So-called lice are either true lice
(Haematopinus) or bird lice (tricho-
hcctesD The former have slender,
often spindle shaped body, a pointed
head. grayish blue color and suck
blood. The trichodectes are broader,
have a squarish head. brown color. and
have biting mouth parts. living on hair
and epidermical scales. Trichodectes
are usually found on neglected, I'M
thrifty animals, with long shaggy hair
and dirty scaly skin. They usually
disappear as soon as the animals con-
dition improves. True lice. on the other
hand. occur also on thrifty animals.
Every species OF domestic animal has
| its own specific louise. or lice thOrse
louise. OK lice. two Kinds. pig louise. goat
| louise. dog louise, etc. and trichodectes
| of the horse OK. sheep and dog.) The
louise OF one species Of animal cannot
exist permanently on another species.
Symptoms-Lice always give rise 10
| a troublesome itching. causing the ami
NAL 10 rub and scratch the infested
portions of the body. The hair is rub
| bed off, or drops out. the exposed skin
| becomes intlamed. scaly, and even
covered with extensive eruptions and
large raw, bleeding surfaces giving the
! animals an extremely distressful and
unsightly appearance.
Lice seem to prefer the region of the
| neck and name the back, root of tail
and in cattle. the base of the horns, in
pigs the region between the hind legs.
| The presence of lice and their nitS
| attached to the HAIR is sufficient evil
| dence rega rding the nature of the troub-
| lie.
| Treatment-Therc are many remedies
for destroying life. e. g.. arsenic. mer-
curial ointment. hellebore. tobacco
decoctions. the seeds of delphinium
staphysagtia tstavesacre,) creoln.
| carbolic acid, lysol. train or fish oil. etc.
The following are of especial merit:
| l. Mercurial ointment. diluted with {
little oil, is very effective on hors s and
pigs. II is applied in small quantities
to the affected parts only. II must not
be used on cattle.
. A tobacco deeoction q pound to-
bacco and three gallons boiling water,
| allow to stand for half an hour with
or without the addition of two pints OF
vinegar. is very effective: but often
produces nausea in horses and cattle.
s. Five per cent solutions (three tea
spoonfuls to u pinp of creolin or lysoi
in water containing 90 per cent of al
cohol. well rubbed in with a stiff brush,
is very effective.
1. TIE remedy which has given the
most satisfactory result to the writer
is kerosene emulsion, made as follows:
Kerosene. two gallons; common OF
whale oil soap, one-quarter pound
water, one gallon. Heat the solution
of soap and add it boiling hot% to the
l Kerosene; then churn the mixture for
ten minutes. Dilute the emulsion with
20 gallons of water and apply with &
spray pump. If no spray pump is al
hand drive the animals if many are tC
be treated. into n narrow chute ant
i apply the emulsion with common wa
tering can. being careful to treat al
parts of the body.
Select mild. sunshiny day for th'
operation. In the course of four day!
or a week repeat the application in or.
Ger to destroy those lice that have. II
The meantime. emerged from tine mts
! Where the animals have been Kept il
sta bles or pens do not neglect 10 Civ,
these places the same treatment: the!
!, are just as lousy as the animals: and j
} not treated they will soon reinfect u,
animals. Finally. avoid condition.
favorable to future infections by Civ
ing animals proper care and kCerins
. them in vigorous, thrifty condition
For long -haired animals tcalves)
!. shearing might be recommended
Weak. rundown animals may requir,
special nursing to recover completed,