ECZEMA IN STOCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23036, 13 May 1938, Page 16

ECZEMA IN STOCK

CAUSE AND SYMPTOMS POST-MORTEM CONDITIONS TREATMENT AND DRENCHES fIY H.H.T. Reports from numerous sources in the Waiknto indicate that farmers who used the drenches for sheep and cattle advocated in the Herald at the end of last month have had very satisfactory results in checking and curing "facial eczema." Among these has been Mr. E. M. Edkins, of Te Aroha, who, in a personal interview with the writer, asked that we should re-publisli the ingredients in these drenches for the bene tit of those who may have failed to see them previously, Mr. Edkins states that tho affected sheep in his flock have'all made rapid recovery, which was noticeable within the first 24 hours, and have maintained their improvement during the last fortnight. Reports from other farmers are. in the main, equally satisfactory, except in some cases where the disease was too far advanced for hope of recovery, and in one instance where pneumonia, following a cold, wet snap, proved fatal. It is chiefly in connection with the latter risk that farmers should be warned when drenching their stock, and for this reason I will briefly review tho causes and symptoms of the ailment, and the action which the various drugs and chemicals included in the drenches have on tho animal's organs. Dual Cause of Ailment If my diagnosis of the trouble is correct—and all the symptoms, together with the condition of the organs on post-morten confirm it—the complaint is a combination of photosensitisntion, caused by an over-abundance of chlorophyll in the fodder plants, following unseasonably rapid growth, and hydrocyanic acid poisoning. Tho effect of the excess chlorophyll is to make the skin —especially white skin—sensitive to sunlight. Scald, accompanied by high temperature, results on the faces of sheep and the udders, escutcheons and any lightcoloured parts of dairy cows. This, in itself, is not a really serious complaint, and can be prevented or cured by keeping the animals in the shade, especially or. grass . low in chlorophyll, such as that in the lee of plantations, or in orchards, etc., or by blackening the parts likely to be affected by smearing with lampblack and oil, or, as I consider more effective, painting with a strong solution of Condy's crystals—l heaped teaspoon to 1 pint of water.

Hydrocyanic Acid Poisoning

Tho accompanying trouble, chronic hydrocyanic acid poisoning, is, however, a much more serious affair, and in the writer's opinion is responsible for practically all the losses which have been suffered. This poison is found in various plants, weeds and clovers, and it is assumed that, under the unusual and growth-forcing conditions experienced immediately prior to and during the epidemic in the Waikato and elsewhere, the hydrocyanic acid content of the clover, and perhaps ryegrass also, was abnormally high.

/ The effect of this poison taken in by the animals in small but continuous quantities, is to paralyse the nerve centres controlling the involuntary action of the digestive and excretory organs. As a consequence the third stomach or "bible T ' becomes impacted with food which it cannot break up and pass on for digestion in the fourth stomach 'and bowel. The latter, also becomes gradually paralysed resulting in a considerable amount of constipation in the lower bowel, while the rest is filled with dark fluid containing little food matter. Bile Duct Blocked

Paralysis of the liver and its accompanying gall bladder results in the former becoming engorged and greatly swollen, with a breaking down of tissues taking place in the later stages of the disease, while the gall bladder becomes distended with thick, dark bile. In the duct, or small passage, leading from the gall bladder to the digestive organs, the bile is usually so thick and viscous that it will not flow, and so relieve the bladder of its overload. The animal's condition is then similar to that of a person with a gall-stone lodged in this passage. The bile is dammed back and remains in the liver and bloodstream, causing jaundice, and only an operation to clear the passage of its obstruction can rectify the trouble. Animals which have reached this stage and survive the actual onset of the malady will gradually become more and more emaciated, with accompanying jaundice, and are unlikely ever to completely recover. The kidneys are usually enlarged in their cfTort to throw off toxins in the blood-stream and the lungs, and sometimes the heart also are generally congested and enlarged respectively. . Antidote for Poison If the animals must remain on pasture where they will continue to ingest clover and other plants containing hydrocyanic acid, it is essential that they should receive small, regular doses of sulphur so that the hydrocyanic acid will be thereby converted to the harmless compound sulphocyanic acid. This sulphur may be embodied in a lick to the extent of 15 per cent. 11' the animals will not take a salt lick containing sulphur it will be necessary to give each cow a drench containing a dessertspoonful of sulphur twice weekly. For sheep the doseage should be: Mature sheep, one teaspoonful; lambs under 6 months a half-teaapoonful. The foregoing treatment with sulphur is purely preventive where the animals cannot bo put on to comparatively rank feed which has made slow growth, or can be fed on hay or ensilage which has been grown earlier in tho season. The treatment of animals affected with the ailment is designed to stimulate all the organs to activity, and at tho same time counteract tho poison. The drenches which have proved effective for this are, for cattle: Flowers of sulphur 40z., cinnamon (powdered) 30z., calomel 20 grains, sweet nitre 1 fluid ounce, sulphate of iron loz., lime loz., paraffin oil 1 pint. This is given in a drench of 1J pints with' half a pint of hot water added, and shaken up thoroughly, ■ just before administering to make the thick mixture flow more readily from the drenching bottle. It is important to keep the ingredients thoroughly stirred while using, to keep tho heavier ingredients in suspension. As the sweet nitre has a lowering effect on the animal it is also advisable to cover cows alter drenching, and place sheep in a sheltered situation to avoid risk of pneumonia supervening. Tho drench mixture for sheep is:— Sulphur loz., cinnamon Joz., sulphate of iron \oz., lime ioz., sweet nitre i fluid ounce, calomel 8 grains, light motor oil 2 fluid ounces. The dose is % fluid' ounces per sheep.