Facial Eczema Warning

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 80, 5 April 1938, Page 6

Facial Eczema Warning

Conditions Favour Disease in Manawatu PROCEDURE FOR PREVENTION "In view of the fact that facial eczema has broken out in the Waikato * district and already isolated cases are known to exist in the Manawatu, it is prudent that a note of warning should be issued,” stated an officer of the livestock division of the Department of Agriculture yesterday. "Following the exceptionally dry summer experienced in the Maiaiwatu and with the recent light rains on many farms there is a pronounced growth in evidence, and it is conditions such as these which lend themselves to an outbreak of facial eczema,” he continued. Tast experience has shown that treatment of the affected animals is of little avail. The facial lesion is really only a symptom. An early indication of the trouble is a jaundiced condition (the membrane of the eyes and lips take on a pronounced muddy to yellow colour). "This condition can be accepted as a warning that the sheep are liable to be affected with facial eczema in the course of a few days. The digestive upset interferes with the normal flow of the bile from the liver to the intestines. When the bile flow is dammed back into the liver it is damaged to an enormous extent, iu many cases forcing the bile into the blood circulation. Thia sets up a yellow pigmentation of the membranes and skin known as jaundice. "On farms carrying three to five ewes to the acre and upwards the number of cases of eczema in the previous outbreak was undoubtedly high. The number of sheep affected on such farms was higher still if the sheep were recent purchases from high, dry country and were not acclimatised to the rich feed conditions in this district. Bought in sheep when they were transferred directly to rich, heavy country suffered heavily. "Farmers who have had experience in this matter will realise that the treatment of cases once the facial lesions have appeared is almost hopeless. Treatment would, therefore, require to be undertaken to deal with all sheep affected with jaundice before any lesions show up on the skin. "To overcome the stoppage in the bile flow doses of Epsom salts, three to four packets dissolved in water, are recommended, to be given at intervale until the jaundiced condition begins to clear up. It is also advisable that better feed be given by providing an excess of lighter pastures or giving the sheep access to hay stacks or hay placed in the paddocks. "In many cases the affected sheep will readily take to the fibrous feed. This practice provides the fibre necessary to balance the soft green growth and to restore the digestion and rumination to normal. Shelter from the sun

is also recommended and the application of a black ointment consisting of lard and lamp black to the hair and lace is most beneficial, adding greatly to the comfort of the sheep. "Prevention consists briefly in balanced feed throughout the season, lirst by giving green feed while a drought exists (where that :s possible); secondly, by givitig dry feed while there is a flush following rain—the most dangerous stage. "To sum up, if jaundice is iu #vidence, drench immediately. Every attempt should be made to balance the rain by providing fibre or hay while sheep are on succulent pastures. This point may be stressed: The treatment of facial eczema is often followed with discouraging results whereas .prevention on the lines indicated is of the utmost importance.

"Where a farmer has any reason to suspect the disease in his flock,” he concluded, "he is advised to communicate with the nearest office of the livestock division of the Department of Agriculture to seek further advice.” Mr. Viuing said his companions were the bravest lot of chaps he had ever seen. Young Saville was terribly sick but did his best to get the morse messages from the shore. They couldn’t see properly ow'ing to the spray. Rescuing Launch Arrives. After a while they saw what they thought was a bright star to the south. Really it was the rescuing launch and they were glad to sec it. This boat passed them iu the darkness so they lit their last flare. They had four matches left by that time.

Mr. Vining had much praise for Mr. Smith who was at the wheel for six hours on end, during the tow to Kapiti. The rope broke twice and seas were breaking over the vessel. They stopped now and again to give him cigarettes and food. They owed a lot to Mr. Wilkinson and his companion in the Government launch which rescued them. They anchored off North Head, Kapiti, at 4 a.m. and at 6 a.m. left iu a dinghy for shore but it swamped and they got another wetting. Mr. Vickerinan, managing director of Textiles, Ltd., Foxton, met them at Paraparaumu and gave them food and rum. He also rigged them out with dry clothing. They were all more or less bruised and showing signs of the ordeal but were thankful to be alive, “gee that boy there,” said Mr. Vining pointing to his own son. “He is the luckiest boy in New Zealand to-day. He cried in the morning because he couldn’t go with us.” All Were Splendid.

The owner of the launch, Mr. fcjmith, when interviewed, said all the men acted splendidly. He described Vining as a “plucky little beggar.” When darkness fell they split into pairs to keep watch and were glad to see the cars qr the beach winking lights in answer the flashes from the launch. It wouJk be a long time before they forgot those 12 hours anchored in the high seas. Never again.