The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

230 The Management and Treatment of the Horse,
constitute together the life cycle of a creature ex-
pressly organized to lead a parasite life. I have never
yet heard of an English butcher who had ever seen
one of these parasites, and yet I believe that at this
moment at least 10,000 persons in this country are
playing the part of host to these creatures. Butchers
are profoundly ignorant in this respect. You will say,
How do cattle get the parasite ? I will explain
Millions of these creatures pass from their human
bearers every day in this country, with other things that
are vile, and make their way into the sewage, which
it is now the fashion to spread over the land, far
and wide, and are thus distributed by millions upon
the delightful verdure on which our cattle graze."
These eggs are thus often taken into the mouths of
animals along Avith green fodder ; every egg swallowed
from fresh sewage becomes a measle, and every measle
that is in the flesh of the animal goes to market, and is
thenceforth liable to be sold and eaten, and will after-
wards become a tapeworm, providing the purchaser does
not take the precaution of having the food properly
cooked. Here is the value of reason—the animal neither
reasons about it, nor does it cook its food ; if we would
avoid these things ourselves, we must simply have the
food well cooked. A temperature of 160°, if continued
will be sufficient to kill trichinae, whilst 140° will kill
cysticercus bovis. The horse becomes affected with tapeworm
in the same manner as cattle. When the symp-
toms we have pointed out are noticed, the groom should
carefully watch whether worms are voided, to ascertain
their existence. Stiil, however, they may be lodged in