144          Liver Fluke and its Control in Hyderabad State

within 10 hours of administration. Further use of this drug from Merck's
was stopped and calcium gluconate was kept handy for administration as an
antidote.

In the liver-rot outbreak encountered amongst sheep at the Hingoli
farm, at first treatment was undertaken using extract of male-fern given as
an electuary in doses of 1/4 to 1/2 drachm, both as curative and preventive.
In spite of this treatment, however, the strength of the flock was reduced from
107 to 97 during the three weeks . After this, carbon tetrachloride in cap-
sules was used giving a dose of 0.5 to 0.7 c.c. both as a curative and protective,
having first ascertained the idiosyncrasy of the sheep towards this drug.
The results obtained from this were encouraging as no fresh attacks occurred
in the healthy lot, while only a few, far advanced in disease, succumbed.
This was repeated after six weeks to kill all flukes that had matured during
the interval. In addition well-water was provided for drinking and the
disease was controlled.

Yet another drug used in the treatment of infested cattle was Igitol
(Bayer). The results of treatment with this were more satisfactory in the
sense, that it was quite safe even in milch cattle but the cost is prohibitive
for large scale operations. The results of treatment with this drug and carbon
tetrachloride were compared when 312 animals were treated with the former
and 536 with the latter. At Himayatsagar Dairy Farm, where, out of 323
animals, 50 cows were found positive, Igitol only was used and the results
of microscopic examination, a month later, showed only 17 cows still positive.
They were given a second course and by preventing these animals gaining
access to the infected channel at the Farm the disease was effectively con-
trolled.

Since, Igitol is not available in the country now and because of its prohi-
bitive cost, the only drug now used is carbon tetrachloride.

It is desirable that wholesale treatment of sick cattle of affected villages
should be carried out with this drug and the operation repeated within two
months.

To sum up, the treatment of cattle carried out in the affected areas during
the past four years, showed improvement in the general condition of the animals
and to support this Table VI from Tirmalapur village is of interest:—

                     TABLE VI