The Tobacco-and-Sulphur Dip.
Fig. 257.—A slightly advanced case of common scab.
The formula as given here, and as adopted by the New South Wales sanitary authorities, appears to have first been proposed in 1854 by Mr. John Rutherford. “On the Hopkins Hill Station Mr. Rutherford, with two dressings of these ingredients, then cured over 52,000 sheep which had been infected for eighteen months. Since then millions of scabby sheep have been permanently cured in Victoria in the same way, and in South Australia and New South Wales hundreds of thousands of scabby sheep have also been cleansed with tobacco and sulphur. Judging, therefore, from the experience of the three colonies, there is no medicament or specific yet known that can be compared with tobacco and sulphur as a thorough and lasting cure for scab in sheep.” (Dr. Bruce, Chief Inspector of Sheep for New South Wales.)
The proportions adopted by Rutherford, and afterwards made official by the scab sanitary authorities, are—
| Tobacco leaves | 1 | lb. |
| Flowers of sulphur | 1 | „ |
| Water | 5 | gallons. |
The advantage of this dip lies in the fact that two of the best scab remedies, namely, tobacco (nicotine) and sulphur, are used together, each of which kills the parasites, while the sulphur remains in the wool and protects for some time against reinfection. As no caustic is used to soften the scab, heat must be relied on to penetrate the crusts.
Directions for preparing the dip.—Infusing the tobacco:—Place 1 lb. of gold-leaf or manufactured tobacco for every 6 gallons of dip desired in a covered boiler of cold or lukewarm water, and allow to stand for about twenty-four hours; on the evening before dipping bring the water to near the boiling point (212° Fahr.) for an instant, then remove the fire and allow the infusion to stand overnight.
Thoroughly mix the sulphur (1 lb. to every 6 gallons of dip desired) with the hand in a bucket of water to the consistency of gruel.
When ready to dip, thoroughly strain the tobacco infusion from the leaves by pressure, mix the liquid with the sulphur gruel, add enough water to make the required amount of dip, and thoroughly stir the entire mixture.