THE BOT-FLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12426, 15 February 1901, Page 2

THE BOT-FLY.

NOT FATAL TO HORSES. [Pee Peess Association'.] WELLINGTON. Feb. 14. The head of the Bureau of Animal Industry at Washington, the first scientific authority in. the world on the diseases of animals, has written to Mr Gilruth, to the effect that i.o veterinary surgeon in all America considers the bot-fly dangerous to life in horses. “ Quite the contrary,” says the head of the Bureau, “ the action of this highly beneficial insect stimulates the stomach and promotes, digestion.” This, coming in reply to a request to be informed of the merits of “Tansy” and various other remedies, may he pronounced a crusher. Death occurs, of course, the great American Department says, even among horses and port-m*ortem examinations often disclose hots, but the fatal cause is some other internal trouble destroying the tissues. The following is the full text of the letter referred to.'in the above message: U.B. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, Washington, D. 0., Jan. 3, 1901. Dr J. A. Gilruth, Chief Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture,, Wellington, New Zealand. Sir, —In replying - to'you letter’ of Nov. 19,. ,I desire to say that veterinarians in this country make no attempt to treat horses for hots, as i't is not considered that they do -the horses any injury. On the contrary, it is asserted by some-that as a result of the little irritation produced by their holding ou to> the mucous membrane of the stomach, that organ is stimulated and digestion is promoted. In -this- country,- -about May ,and, June, -they . artr expelled '-with- -the' excreta*,■ and- stablemen and others who notice them in- the manure, vriU '-sometimes exclaim that : the -horse-has hots. Th*v of-course,, is nothing but the-evolution of tills parasite. Bots can be found in- the stomach of .any horse in this country that’is turned'out to pasture during ‘the summer and early fall when the gadflies are’flying. This being the general impression, in this country, with regard to bots in the'horse, ypprj papers must be in error in representing;that a decoction ,of tansy, is recommended ;by this Department for the purpose of "expelling them from, the horse’s stomach. .Tansy has been -used, turpentine has been used,'various anthelmintics, but I am not aware that any of them have any effect upon tberiaots, and do not believe-that the bots are ayscridus detriment to the horse; - ‘‘Unless dn. very great numbers, they‘de. "not attacltothemsrilves at all to thV-'secreting half': of the stomach, but show' a preference for the cardiac, which'is lined hly a, mucous membrane like.-that of the_sesophagus...There; is an impression which prevails among farmers, and! to an extent .among horsemen, in this country, that the presence of bots in | the - stomach -of-aj libpeyis frequently thei cause’of ..colic,, .a!nd;'.sometimesYtlxe. cause of the rupture- of the . vinous.' 1 --While they may at times cause colic pains through the irritation produced by their little hooks and spikes, especially after they -have entered -the intestines, they, certainly do not eat through 'the gas trio wall or, cause per-, -deration of the stomach .; and when rupture of the stomach is revealed upon post mortem examination, of the animal that has had colic, it has,-undoubtedly, been due to overdistention, most frequently as a result of the accumulation of gas, even though* hots are found' in considerable numbers In the stomach. —Yours, respectfully, D. E. LALMON, Chief of Bureau. .