Diseases of cattle, sheep, goats and swineMoussu, G. (Gustave)
Science
Diseases of cattle, sheep, goats and swine
Moussu, G. (Gustave)
Veterinary medicine
The fact that in Argentina, just as in France, strongyles have always
been discovered in epizootics of this nature of itself constitutes
something; and causes the second fact, that it has never yet been proved
that any heavy mortality occurred in the absence of parasitic
infestation, to assume considerable importance. Moussu regards these two
facts as the greatest obstacles to Lignières’ theory. He states that in
his view the verminous affection is the essential, primordial and
primitive affection, and that microbic infection is only secondary, and
an almost inevitable result of grave verminous infestation.
It is quite certainly wrong to think that verminous affections may
continue with scarcely any injury to the animal, especially when such a
belief is based on observation of a few parasites which are not of a
predatory character. In most cases of the kind now under consideration,
the various parasites found (_Strongylus circumcinctus_ and _filicolis_,
_Anchylostomes_, etc.) cause more or less grave lesions.
These intestinal wounds facilitate the infection to which the fatal
course of the disease is due. The disease, then, is not a special
unvarying infection, but consists of multiple superposed infections.
It is wrong to believe and to teach that the parasitic disease is of no
importance, and Moussu declares his belief that the proposed
vaccinations will prove unavailing. He is of opinion, on the other hand,
that when the parasitic invasion can be overcome the mortality will be
checked, and only those animals which are already suffering from severe
infections will succumb. Is not this precisely what has been observed in
human pathology regarding miners’ anæmia or miners’ worm disease
(anchylostomiasis)?
=The diagnosis= presents no difficulty for those who have had a little
practice with the microscope, since the presence of eggs of the parasite
can always be detected in the fæces in cases where external signs have
given rise to suspicion of gastro-entestinal strongylosis.
The macroscopic diagnosis on post-mortem examination is not so easy as
might be supposed, and when very small varieties are in question it is
sometimes necessary to examine the mucous membrane of the abomasum or
intestine very carefully in order to discover the parasite.
=The prognosis= is grave, because before attention has been drawn to
many patients, the entire herd may be more or less infested. It is also
grave because the pastures are infested with eggs or embryos, and the
power of increase of these parasites is enormous.
=Treatment.= The earliest and most energetic means should be adopted in
all cases. Treatment comprises:—
Drainage of swampy pastures.
Dressing of the pastures with chemical manures, preferably with iron
sulphate, at the rate of 40 to 80 lbs. per acre.
Disinfection of manure to destroy the contained eggs or embryos.
The use of chalk, iron sulphate, various acids, etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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