FLUKE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 7

FLUKE.

In our last issue we drew attention to the important subject of fluke or liver rot in sheep, and from all we can learn this dreadful pestilence is on the increase, and likely to prove a source of great loss, trouble and anxiety to many pastoralists, more especially those who a located in country of a mountainous nature, or flat, low-lying lands, subject to excessive rainfall.

The disease has done such terrible damage at various times in England, that some particulars may be found interesting to our readers. In 1830 a terrible outbreak occurred, but it was surpassed by one in the autumn and winter of 1860, which ravaged the Western and Southern counties, besides attacking the Eastern and Midland ones, following close upon very wet periods. Professor Simmonds records that in Devonshire five-sixths of the sheep perished or were sold for a nominal sum. Cattle were also badly affected. In Sussex and Surrey the effects were as bad, one flock of great value being exterminated. In 1853-54 not only undrained districts but more healthy ones suffered badly. Mr Spooner says ' though a million of sheep and lambs have frequently been destroyed annually, in the events of 1830-31 this number, it is supposed, was more than doubled ; some farmers lost their whole flocks, others a moiety, and many were ruined in consequerce. These facts were proved before Committee of the House of Lords in 1833, and it was there siated by one farmer that he lost L3OOO worth of sheep on his farm in Kent in the course of three months. Even at this time there were 5000 less sheep taken to Smithfield every market day in consequence of the mortality two weeks previously, so extensive and general had ifc been' Grainger says that his inquiries in 1862 indicated that the mortality in many parts exceeded that of 1860. He says : —' It has far surpassed in Ireland, and amongst the most extensive sheep dealers in the Midland counties, and the Soutli of England. I have learned that the destruction over extensive districts has been almost unparalleled in their experience. The malady was very destructive in Kilkenny amongst cattle. Not less than 500,000 sheep have this year (1862), suffered from rot in the United Kingdom, reducing them in value two-thirds and more, and leading to a loss of several hundred thousand pounds to the country at large.'

Mr John Walker states in his work on sheep that ' hard upon two million head have perished by it in England alone in certain years. For several seasons, about 1880, the disease raged with such fury throughout the grazing farms as to nearly clear every flock from the field. Hundreds of farmers were ruined in consequence, and other branches of their occupation being at the same time unremunerative, they were unable to ' recoup ' themselves. Hares and rabbits died wholesale at the same time, and by their deaths the farmer was warned of the dreadful disease about to attack his flocks. The disease has not visited England for nearly four decades before the attack in 1880, except a few cases in which sheep were grazed on low-lying flooded meadows, where the parasite pest is always present.' Professor Steele, who deals exhaustively with the subject of liver rot and fluke in his very able volume, says that Youatt estimates more than one million sheep die annually in Great Britain of the disorder, and that Hament estimates that the yearly fall of the Nile in Egypt causes loss to the amount of LI 60,000. 'ln some countries, such as Burmah, sheep husbandry has been found impracticable on account of it.' Cobbold's statement that ' rot' was first introduced into Australia in 1855 —presumably by German rams—is un-

supported. In fact, we know of a N.S.W. pastoralisb who observed it in the Eastern division prior to that date. The United States of America are almost free from it, and it is said not to exist in New Zealand.

The common yellow trefoil clover plant is said to be extremely valuable by some persons as a palliative, and perhaps its absence, when there are many deaths, may give colour to the assertion.

The disease, as everybody is aware, is caused by parasites (of which there are two descriptions) attacking the liver. The host of this parasite is the little water snail, and the breeding-ground is practically the water. Some years ago it was thought that anthrax was impossible to deal with, but the fluke, we imagine, ought to be easily conquered by scientific investigation. Will the Stock Department do anything 1 A cure or palliative would not be nearly so wondc rful as bullet proof cloth, the phonograph, or other fin de siecle novelties.

Mr S. Peters, of Bass (Victoria), writing to the Australasian on the 25th nit., speaks of podophyllin as a remedy. He says that some years ago he tried it with very gratifying results, as the sheep he dosed were completely cured. The following ie the plan he adopted : —Boil loz of podophyllin root in two quarts of waler, and let it simmer by the fire until reduced to quart or onehalf. Give each sheep, on an empty stomach, two tablespoonfuls; in two days repeat the dose. Mr Peters has very kindly communicated the following additional information in a letter to a representative of this journal, and we are sure that ifc will be widely read: 'Re the podophyllin cure for fluke, my attention was first called to the subject in 1883, when, having a flock of about 500 merino ewes, more than half of which had died from fluke, I tried the podctohyllin root. It had been tried previously by a celebrated cattle dealer. I first of all got two ounces, which cost me one shilling, and tried ifc on some of the worst; seeing the good effect it had on them, I obtained some more, and dosed the whole of them, with the result that I have never been troubled with fluke since, although the whole or most of the pastures round here appear to give it to the stock, even neat cattle die with ifc at times. I have recommended it to my neighbours, but only one of them has ever taken the trouble to use it. I may say that some of the sheep that I have dosed, which appeared to be very badly affected, on being killed some months afterwards showed no signs of fluke, only dry spots on the liver where the parasite had been. I cannot; say anything about the tincture, never having tried ic. You can get the root for about 4s 6d per lb in Melbourne. One pound will be sufficient to dose 250 once. I am now using the same remedy on 300 that the agent sent me a month or two ago, several of which are badly affected. I will try and let you know the result in a couple of months' time. My neighbour is also doing the same thing. You are perfectly at liberty to make use of this information if it will be of any use to anyone. I believe the best method is to dose each sheep with two tablespoonfuls (or loz) of the decoction on two successive mornings, repeating ifc in about three or four days' time, Ifc will nob hurt ewes in lamb or with lambs.'

Podophyllin is the only vegetable drug that has a drastic action on the liver, and the cost is comparatively cheap—say 2s per lb. The powder (not the resicoid) is said to be the same as the root ground up. Professor Steele gives the dose for a sheep as six grains.

The recipe given by Clater has been recently tried :—A decoction of nitre, ginger, colcithar of vitriol, and salt, with a little spirits of turpentine added, but the results have not been encouraging.

The members of the New South Wales sheep boards have expressed their willingness to subscribe LI 00 for a reliable, cheap, and effective drench, and we shall be happy to place the fortunate inventor of such in communication with them. We have not the slightest doubt but that a large sum could be collected for such a purpose.

The plan of getting rid of the rabbit pest by means of poison is not without its drawbacks. At Huntley, Victoria, a fanner has just lost fourteen cows and a horse by poison. The stock strayed out of the paddock and ate poisoned apples set as a bait for rabbits.