The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-05-20
M'cuLI0uIA TALKS.
N REGARD TO TICKS
Local Physician Discusses
Prevention Of Spotted
Fever.
DIPPING ADVOCATED
Believes That Stock Is Bene-
fitted as Well as Destroy
!, ing Woodticks.
DIPPING : ADVOCATED
(ev g. r. Mccullough, N. d.

NV ~ ~ WCSNVVUSUp We ~
Since the preponderance of scientific
Investigation conducted by both state
and federal authorities have shown
that the bite Of the woodtick in certain
sections d this locality will cause
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, 1t be-
hooves us to give the matter Of extcr-
mination of this much dreaded pest
some careful and effective considelxv-
ton.
Tho late DR.. Ricketts, demonstrated
with guinea pigs, that ..fbout ono in
five hun drcd woodtiaks were infectivc,
or, in other wosds. would cause the
fever from ufsir bite. These ticks
were obtalAtd from areas where spot
ted fever had been known to prevail.
and ,bad shown a high rate Of mortal
ity. They were taken from cattle,
horses. dogs. gophers. rabbits. clothing.
pine trees. logs. rock lodges and such
places as arc known to be infested with
ticks.
Vast sums OF money have been used
In an effort to find some reliable rem
edy for tho cure of spotted fever with
out avail. thus it would appear that
rigid prophylaxis should be our great
aim In an effort to stop the infection.
The destruction OF ticks that are
found to infest the bodies of livestock
on each ranch will undoubtedly lessen
the degree Of infection that takes place
during the tick season. This can be
done ny various means, blowing the
land where possible cleaning up and
burning undcrbrush, dipping all cattle.
horses. sheep and dogs at intervals of
two weeks during the last half of May
and June.
There Is also great advantage in
avoiding the mountain slopes covered
with scattering pines and unherbrush
ut such times as the ticks are known to
be very active. II Is Il habit of nature
for them to disappear in July. and
rarely would it be necessary for dipping
OF livestock after the middle of that
month.
DIR. l.. d. Tricks. surgeon, United
States public health service, who has
been stationed at Victor. Mont for
the past several years during the tick
season. has had good results in tick
cxtGrminatiOn along the lines above
mentioned, and lays particular stress
on grazing over the land with full
flceced sheep and subsequent dipping.
Repeated examinations of sheep that
had been s,razcd over land known to
be infested with ticks disclosed many
dead ticks in the fleece. Some would
hc only n short distance from the sur
face. others would be nearly in the
sleeps body. but majority would be
found midway between the outside
surface OF tho fleece and the body Of
the shecp--stark, cold and dead.
Very rarely was there one found
alive. and that would be about the
ears or neck. II seems that the natural
grease or lanolin in the wool clogs up
the ticks breathing pores. thereby pro-
ducing suffoCation and death. leaving
them in perfect form with legs
stretched out.
Will Make Area HabitabIe.
While no one course of eXtermina
ton will destroy all the ticks in a
community. each and every one men
toned will help to make an infested
area more habitablc. 1t is ASTONISHING
what terror the known tick district"
puts into strangers coming into the
community.
The state board of health has taken
an active interest in tick eradication
In the past few years, and is cooper
ating with the forest service and the
federal government in establishing dip
ping watts at convenient points fol
ranchers, to avail themselves Of the
opportunity to dip their stock fire.
quently and effectively.
! There is no doubt but that the dip
ping is most effective and dips con
tanning heavy percentage Of the Goa
tar products seems to be much quicker
acting and more fatal to the tick thar
lime and sulphur, or weak arsenic SO
luton dips. One of the quickest anc
most convenient ways of destroying, ar
Individual tick is dropping "A few
drops Of gasoline on it.
In most communities it is difficult e
get settlers to appreciate the impor,
lance OF frequent and thorough dip
ping it seems to he frequently the cas-
that many are prcdjudiccd against it
feeling it is injurious to stock and oc
casionally entails some loss. Th
should not occur and is usually due t
lack of careful handling. People in
community have to be gradually cdu
Gated to the vastly beneficial effect o
dipping domestic animals before the
will take kindly to it. Once being con
WINGED Of how 1t rids them of vcrmir
and how much better they thrive afte
being dipped they are glad to do thi
work.
4 saddle or driving horse can Il
rid Of ticks or other vermin by apply
ing good strong solution Of shce
dip with a large paint brush. going owe
the entire body, and repeating in abol
five days. Usually about three quart
OF solution would be needed for cac
application.