DANGER OF HYDATIDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 36, 11 August 1937, Page 8

DANGER OF HYDATIDS

CHECKING THE DISEASE

(By Telegraph.) (Special to che "Evening Post.")

DUNEDIN, This Day.

The possibility that' the administration of anti-hydatid medicines to; dogs every three months may be made compulsory . was stated by Sir Louis Barnett in an address on health to young farmers. Fortunately, he said, tetanus or lockjaw was very rare in New Zealand. It occurred sometimes in horses, but only rarely in humans. The theory that tetanus resulted from a cut in the web of the thumb was groundless, as the germ could develop only if driven deep into the skin. A particular danger arose from hydatids. This was considered a very grave matter in New Zealand, and must be checked or there would be great trouble. It was a disease which caused illness, and in many cases death. More than 1000 cases of hydatids had occurred in the last ten years, and the death-rate was about 15 or 16 per cent, while those who lived were disabled, sometimes permanently. The prevalence of the disease was far higher in animals. Of 31,000,000 sheep in New Zealand about one-half were infected with hydatid cysts. Lambs were usually free from infection, but in aged, sheep the. incidence might go up to &) per cent. The disease was caused by a tapeworm which inhabited the intestines of dogs. Sir Louis stressed the necessity for killing tapeworms by dosing dogs with medicine. He said it might be made compulsory by an Act of Parliament, and every dog owner would receive a year's supply when he registered the animal with instructions to administer it every three months. This would mean little trouble to the owner, but would be well worth while.