PSEUDO-SCAB AND LUNG-WORM IN SHEEP.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 628, 21 July 1882, Page 2

PSEUDO-SCAB AND LUNG-WORM IN SHEEP.

By John Buchanan, F.L.S. (Read before the Wellington Philosophica Society.) PSEUDO SCAB IN SHEEP. A disease in sheep resembling Acar !_. Scab, haviug recently attracted attentior I among flock-owners, several pieces ol I affected skin were forwarded by the Sheet; Department to the Museum for examina--1 tion and report, but with no definite results . in consequence of the disease in ever) 3 case having reached its crisis and the woo having again begun to grow, and only ir ~ one case was it clear that the skin hac been burrowed by worms. The conclusions arrived at in lung-worn disease, regarding the life-history of th< 3 lung-worm (Strongylus Maria), are clearlj r applicable in the present case, and it ii : also highly probable that the same specie; | or an allied one produces this eruption oi ' the sheep, the eruption disappearing ii * autumn, after which the sheep regait 1 their usual health. The conditions mos 1 favourable to the selection of the skin as i r nidus, are wet seasons, when the sheep an ,T in a continually soaking condition fron 3 rain ; such weather is also favourable t< ■» the movements of the young worms whei J in search of a host. 1 It is doubtful whether the worms ii every case burrow into the skin, as n< doubt the clotted secretions of yolk at tht base of the wool offer sufficient shelter ii many cases : it is certain, however, that i scab is produced in every case where tin worms have selected the body as a nidus and their leaving in autumn is coinciden 1 with the departure of the lung-worm. i Positive proof of the species infesting f the skin can only be ascertained by those !. having opportunities of searching foi them at the proper time, when the pseudo scab is prevalent. THE LUNG-WORM IN SHEEP. The result of an examination of a portion of a sheep's lung forwarded by the Stock Department is as follows:—Tin sheep was depastured at Martoti and was killed in June last. Near the opening oi tho bronchial tube was found a contorlec .__ heap of filiform white worms, which, or __ examination, proved to be a species oi r Strongylus, All the specimens examine*; \ of this travelling detachment, were fount f to be packed with eggs, eacli egg show ing under tho microscope a coiled embryc within, in an advanced stage of develop ment; a large poriion of the luny - structure was found to be perfectly healthy i and had evidently not been visited b) r; tiie worm, but in the remaining porliov ' some worms were found which proved ' under the luicro.-icopu to be nearly filled with eggs, none of which, however, showed any traces of an embryo, thus nc } doubt explaining their delay in moving ■ with tho others ; male worms are also , found here. This portion of the lung I proved to be in a diseased state, being i flabby and while, the worms having | evidently burrowed through its body and • formed a lodgement there till they should arrive at their normal size and become fertile with ova. It appears that they remain in the lung till the embryos reach tho mature stage of bursting their envelopes, when the parent worms commence to evacuate their temporary abode and move towards the damp ground, where they find the conditions best, adapted for the first stage of lii'e of tne young worms, and where the parenrs no doubt die. It is at this early stage that the wornia become most dangerous to their host, in proportion to their numbers, filling the air passages of the lungs and nostrils, and often when numerous in weak sheep or lambs causing suffocation. The lifehistory of this nematode clearly shows that it only occupies (he lungs of sheep for a 'few weeks during summer ; leaving the giouud in sprhi;-, while yet in an 'romatu'G condition and scarcely visible io the unassisted eye, and crawling up the nostrils of the sheep, they tench the lungs without causing much annoyance. The period of escape by the snue track in autumn, after they have reached their rnalure condition and become fertile with embryotie ova, may extend over several days, during which time tiie sheep labour under great, annoyance, and if the worms are numerous are io much danger of suffocation : as they advance towards the nostrils in contorted balls and fill up the air passages, if not speedily expelled, the sheep must die. Prom what has been said it is shown the maturity a? the embryo occurs in some worms earlier than in otiiors. ibus lengthening the period of annoyance, ahlioiighdifniriishing the danger of suffocation, as the worms are not all travelling at one time. Preventive measures with this disease should always be tried in preference lo what may be termed a cure, for it is only when the worms are leaving instinctively that any cu.e is ever tried, and it were better to assist their escape by cleaning out the nostrils of tho sheep than killing them in tho air passages of the Jungs with the fumes cf burning sulphur. Either prevention of access of the worm to the sheep in spring, by their removal to dry ground—or keeping rock salt in •)l:-:-".-os where the sheep can have access to ii, xnot'H ospocially when the young nematode has newly reached the lungs and is of a miscroscopic s'v/m —Yhould be adopted. VViieu the young worm finds a nidus on the back, and the wool shows the first sympioimi of raggednesss, an application of a mixture of .-oft soap in water with a little tuiponLiiie or kerosene, if distributed in the opened wool with a groove-corked bottle, would speedily check tho evil. Extracts from Reports of Sheep Inqieclors and Notes thereon. Mr Foster, in fi report to tiie Stock Department, describes very correctly the diae.isu in sheep caused by worms in the liinge ; but the proper time for administer-

ing remedies is not stated, and any treatment which would kill the worms after they have reached an advanced stage of development is more likely to kill" the sheep ; every means should be used to get tho worms out of the nostrils and prevent suffocation of the sheep. It is very probable that sulphur fumes might prove beneficial if applied when the worms are of a microscopic size on their earliest arrival from the wet ground. Mr Boyes seems to be on the right track with the sulphur fumes, he says he is sure it will cure the bronchial disease **in its earlier stage," and he means to use it as a preventive; perhaps he expects too much in that, as sulphur fumes are not likely to do much damage to worms before their arrival. Why not put soluble sulphur in the blood through the stomach ? Mr Reginald Foster points out the main feature of the whole subject: " Most stock-owners wean their lambs on their best feed, which in summer is usually on the moist low-lying land where these parasites or rather their ova, exists. Lambing paddocks should be virgin pasture."

Sheep Inspector Simpson, Marlon District, reports as follows :— " I forward by mail to-day a package containing portion of a sheep's luntr showing a number of worms in its tubes, perhaps you may be ab*e to obtain reliable information if this is the cause of the heavy losses, chiefly in hoggets, for several years past. " The first symptom is a severe cough, afterwards followed by scouring, which invariably terminates in death. I have very little doubt but the worrrlis the cause of the cough, and tiie scourinJis an after consequence." » Mr Reginald Foster, of Amberley, writes to the Christchurch papers in July last, in reference to a mortality among sheep in some districts of Canterbury, supposed to have been caused by worms, He says: On Friday last, at the farm oi Mr James Guild, of Ohoka, I examined some hoggets which had apparently di* d from scour, I found that the lungs were in a highly diseased state, and opening the bronchial tubes I discovered several white thread-like worms about one inch in length. I also found a considerable number of these parasites in the air passages of the lungs. With the exception of a little inflammation in the intestines, caused no doubt by the diarrhoea from whicii all these hoggets had suffered, the rest of the internal organs were perfectly healthy. Mr Guild has recently lost a considerable number of hoggets, and there is little doubt that these worms were the cause of their death. So far as I can learn, this disease, well known in England, has not as yet been noticed in New Zealand, but I think it is highly piohable that it has been one of the causes of the heavy mortality in young stock, especially in hoggets and calves, from which stockowners have suffered for several seasons past. Tho remedial treatment recommended is turpentine, in doses of a quarter of an ounce, given in oil. A simple and more direct remedy is to make the sheep inhale fumes of sulphur in a shed. In advanced cases, where diarrheal lias set in, some medicine to act on the sur-uach would also be necessary." 'ihe remarks of Inspector Reginald Foster, in the couch).iin»* part of his report, are worthy of notice : — "I think that future investigations should be directed towards noticing the earliest stages of the disease, by watching the young slock ou farms known to be infected, at what rate the disease progresses, so as to form an opinion as to when is tiie best time to u--e reni'-*dial m.-asures. Several breeders of stock who have taken "ome trouble to investigate this disease agree with me, that when the cough is bad and is accompanied with diarrhoea, the malady i*-. in too advanced a stage to hope much from remcdh.l measures. So far as my knowledge of the bronchial disease goes at present, I am strongly of the opinion that breeders of stock in low-lying districts, to which the disease appears to ba almost entirely confined, should put their weaners through a course of inhalation of the fumes of sulphur about the month of April ; this reined)' is known to be effectual and is very inexpensive, two men could put 400 or 500 hoggets through in half a day. Mr Charies C. Boyes, in writing to Mr R.Foster, Amberley, says; " Since writing you I am to say my sheep are fust recovering, and I have only one death lo record. 1 have persevered in the sulphur tieitiiient, in which I have great faith, and I am now quite certain that it will cure the bronchial disease in its earlier stage. I tried lire oil and turpentine in a few cases, but I fear tbe sheep were too far gone for any remedy to have effect,. In each of these latter cases I found on opening the sheep that the worms had pene!rated the lungs, and when this has occured I am afraid there is no cure. I have wade the infected sheep inhale sulphur four times, at intervals of ihrec days, and the Hock seem now quite recovered, in good heart and feeding well. The sulphur inhalation is the cheapest itid speediest cure, and I am much indebted to you for your suggestion of it ; .ii future I intend putting the sheep through a cfourse of this treatment at the end of each autumn as a preventive, as I have noticed that this is the season when the disease always shows itself first." Mr Reignald Foster, writing to the Stock Department, says ; —" We must look rather to preventive means. In this, as in the case of most diseases, I think there must be some predisposition to contract disease, and this is most likely to Occur soon after weaning, when those lambs which had not weaned themelves, being suddenly deprived of their natural food, are for a time debilitated, and would therefore be more suspeotible to disease. •' Most stock-owners wean their lambs on the best feed, which in summer is usually on the moist low-lying land, where these parasites, or rather their ova exist. None but adult stock which are able to resist the attacks of the bronchial worms i-hould be put on lich swampy pastures. L'.mbiug paddocks should if possible be viigin pasture, or should have neon saved •jo-ie time for the purpose, and the lambs ; shc'-ld. always have access to rock-salt, '. which is the beet known preventive for : ivoi-j.-.}m of ali kinds. The simplest remo.iies recommended are a dessert-spoonful > jf turpentine to two of linseed oil, given ■ ■■very other day, about three or four doses ; .)!" the sheep should be placod in a close . :hed aud made to inhale tho fumes of ' sulphur. This may bo done by sprinkling sulphur on a pan of live coals. '/These remedies have been tried in two * >r three instances hero, but I have ' iot yet heard with what result. I think

they would only be effectual in the very earliest stages."

Extract from Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Ohio. " We have no knowledge of the cause of the lung-worm—a name given for want of a better perhaps. It affects young sheep in a greater degree and to a greater extent than matured animals. The worm is a small white one, and is found in considerable numbers in the lung, or in tubes connecting the windpipe with the lungs, The symptoms are weakness, failure to eat, loss of flesh, and a cough. This disease is but little understood by the wool-grower. " Stricana or Strichnia is perhaps a very incorrect name for the disease I wish to describe. It is caused by a very small worm, so minute, indeed, that it cannot be seen without the aid of a magnifying glass. It is believed to cause the sheep to pick or bite the wool from its side*), flank, and other parts, until the fleece becomes more or less ragged and wasted. The skin becomes rough and shows symptoms of disease. It is not contagious, mit attacks sheep of all ages. It is more damaging in flocks that have been closely bred ' in and in 'for many years ; indeed, this is tbe case with most diseases. As both a preventive and cure, wood and cob ashes with salt are used, with partial success."