LUNGWORM IN SHEEP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 7

LUNGWORM IN SHEEP.

By D. M-G-begor, Enfield.

FUMIGATION. The argument in favour of this mode of treatment is that absorption by the lungs takes place very rapidly through the lining membrane ot the air cells, .and when an animal breathes an atmosphere laden with the fumes of sulphur or any other analogous substance a portion U carried into the system, and produces precisely the same effect as if introduced into the stomach, in addition to which it irritates tbe lungs and brings on violent coughing by which at least some of the worms would be destroyed or coughed up. We must remember that there are in the lungs of the sheep 30 large air tubes, and fully as many more smaller ones, in which lungworms have been found. The worms set up inflammation in the tube they occupy, and this solidifies that part of the lung and causes it to lose its elasticity; hence the tube becomes filled wii?h a frothy mucus of a

ropy consistency, which makes it doubtful if the worms can be expelled by coughing or reached by fumes from without. We have also to bear in mind the fact that the chest i 3 always full of resident air, up to the throat itself. This gaseous fluid fills all the free space in the chest, and is of exactly the same tension or elasticity as that of the air without. Thus the air of respiration penetrates but a small way, and can only work its way down by repeatedly mixing with the resident air ; hence any irritating properties it possesses must become greatly diminished by its repeated dilution before any portion of it can reach the cells. The nse of the resident air is to modify the effects of excessive colds, heats, or odours. It must be remembered, too, that when sheep are standing quiet in a pen they breathe through their nostrils only. Hence tho impurities in the air are to a great extent arrested by the intricate organisation and mucus in the nose, and are thrown out again from the interior by the returning breath. A miner can inhale through his nose for a certain time mephitic air in the bottom of a well, but if he opens his mouth his lungs become partly closed and he expires The air which enters the lungs through the nostrils is as different from that which enters through the mouth as distilled water is to a frog pond. If we are to put all our dependence upon coughing alone, why not bring it on by driving the sbeep rapidly along the road ? This method brings on a much more constant cough, and is much simpler than that produced by sulphur fumes. DRENCHING WITH TURPENTINE AND OIL. The argument advanced in favour of this mode of treatment is that when the lungs are disordered there is not sufficient carbonic acid gas evaporated, hence the impurities are not taken from the system. It is claimed that turpentine possesses the property of permeating animal tissues in a similar manner to that of water penetrating unsized paper, and is eliminated from the system partly by respiration, partly by the urinary secretion and partly by the intestinal canal ; and that it has a greater affinity for oxygen than any of the other combustibles, with the exception of alcohol, and is accordingly burnt off first. Further, that oil in the food is the special lung combustible for healing the frame, and that the two in conjunction throws an increased quantity of carbonic acid gas off through the lungs, and if this does not expel the worms it will at least give increased activity to the digestive organs. The temperature may be maintained in this way for a short time no doubt; but what happens as a consequence 1 That other combustibles in the food accumulate unduly in the body, or the waste material of the blood is not burnt off sufficiently. Practical experience teaches us that turpentine prolongs life the first time it is given, just as a change of pasture does, but that the second time it has not this effect, and if its use is continued it completely suspends digestion, for the lambs can be seen to drink an extraordinary quantity of water, and several clays will elapse before they settle down to their pasture, and they consequently lose condition, and their no doubt weakened digestive organs leave them more exposed than ever to a fresh attack from lungworm. The result is that when the worms get time to set up inflammation it is difficult to save the animal whatever remedies may be used. INFUSIONS of the native veronica, Scotch broom, wormwood and sage, and bluegum have all been used. All of these prolong life more or less. They all act upon the bowels and stimulate the digestive organs, increase the secretion of the gastric juice, and bring on a more natural looseness of the bowels — for when lambs are suffering from lungworm they nearly always have diarrhoea, the excretions being of a dark colour and of a ropy consistency. This ropiness is a sure sign of intestinal worms. These infusions do away with the ropiness. All internal parasites seem to require only one kind of organic food since they live in certain organs — one species in the liver, another in the intestines, and another in the lungs. It is well known that no other orgens in the body sympathise with each other to so great'an extent as the lungs and the intestines. Consequently this method is a step in the right direction, for it. expels intestinal worms, thus acting in the same way as boiled onions do on children that are troubled with worms. Unfortunately, however, its good effect is of short duration, and the animal is liable to a fresh attack. Arsenic also acts upon the bowels and expels intestinal worms. Some people use tar ; but how it is expected to act I do not know, for it completely suspends digestion. However, it is an impure turpentine containing some different principles, of which the principal medical one is creosote, used in cases of diabetes, epilepsy, neuralgia, hysterics, &c. THE VETERINABY SURGEON'S TREATMENT. We now come to the method most favoured by the veterinary profession and the least adapted to large flocks of any that has been tried in this colony. It consists of a hollow needle or sharp-pointed syringe being charged with 10 drops of carbolic acid, half drachm turpentine, quarter drachm chloroform, and one drachm olive oil. This instrument is thrust into the windpipe half way down the neck, which is below the point of extreme sensitiveness, and the mixture slowly injected into the lungs. It is claimed for this mixture that it will kill the worms right off. Now, carbolic acid is a powerful liquid caustic, turpentine has a tendency to scald, and chloroform acts upon the brain'and nervous system. When we consider the arguments inffevonr of this method we should remember that at the lower end of the windpipe the lungs separate into two, each lung having a large number of air tubes in which lungj worms have been found, and that the tube in i which the parasites are located is always full of frothy mucus and very much inflamed. Everyone knows how an inflamed finger swells ; in like manner an inflamed lung rei ceives increased quantities of bloodand serum, and f erein i§ infused into its substance by encroaching on the air cells, thus rendering the lung more^dense and incapable of receiving the normal quantity of air. One would suppose carbolic acid to be the worst thing that could be applied to so delicate a part, especially when in an inflamed condition. However, this is the proposal of Dr Levi, of

the University of Pisa. I feel strongly inclined to ask the learned doctor, why not destroy the germs of consumption in the same way. Personal experience has taught me that lungworm wiU live two minutes in pure turpentine, and it is clear that before the worms are reached all the free space in the lungs must be filled up, for the tubes in which the worms are located are already full with froth and blood which prevents them being reached otherways then by slowly mixing with this frothy mucus. A friend of mine who has given a deal of study to this disease tried this mode of treatment on 50 lambs. He tells me that it takes two to hold the animal while the third person inserts the instrument in the proper place, , and two hours were occupied in doctoring the 50 lambs. Two out of every five coughed the medicine up immediately it reached the lungs, and it could be seen coming out at the nostrils. Those that did ccugh it up staggered about just as if they were half drowned. They were then put on the pasture they came from, but continued dying as before. It was noticed when skinning the dead lambs that the insertion in the windpipe caused considerable inflammation, in some cases about the size of a shilling, and my friend came to the conclusion that if there was anything in this mode of treatment it was caused by the liquid thinning and relieving the frothy mucus in the air tubes, thus making it easer to cough up. This suggested to him that a watery atmosphere was the very thing. necessary, consequently he had 50 more lambs put into a small close house, and the steam hose of a threshing engine put in through a hole in the roof. Here they were kept for two hours, the hose being withdrawn, and the door opened only when they were ready to suffocate. It was thought that the'temperature must have risen many degrees, for the wool was quite hot and as wet as it could be made, while there was a strong discharge from the nostrils. The animals were then put on the pasture they came from, and ceased to die for 10 days, but after that time they again commenced dying at the fcrraer rate. In my next week's contribution I shall deal with the possibility of pursuing a mode of treatment of young lambs which will enable them to successfully cope with the attacks of this parasite.