350 SCAB IN SHEEP. 



was observed to be drawing the wool off with its teeth, and when 

 it was caught and examined, the body was found to be affected 

 with scab to a considerable extent. The sheep was instantly de- 

 stroyed, as the owner was not known. But in the course of six 

 weeks several of the sheep belonging to the hirsel where the 

 diseased sheep had taken up its abode showed symptoms of dis- 

 ease. They were instantly taken home and dressed ; also, every 

 sheep belonging to the cut or lot that grazed together, and it was 

 considered that effectual means had been taken both as to the cure 

 and the preventative. But in the spring of the year the disease 

 broke out anew amongst several of the cuts or lots of the sheep 

 in the hirsel, and, after several unsuccessful attempts, the disease 

 could only be eradicated by dressing the whole flock, both sound 

 and diseased. 



Buying in diseased rams is often a fruitful cause of spreading 

 the disease ; and as the insect at a certain stage remains dormant, 

 and baffles the most acute eye to detect its presence, still it 

 retains life from autumn to spring, — a circumstance which shows 

 that the most practical stocksman may purchase scabbed sheep 

 unawares, of which the following is a proof. A farmer in 

 Peeblesshire bought four Cheviot rams in the month of Septem- 

 ber, and after being brought home, rumours were whispered that 

 scab had been prevalent amongst the stock from which they had 

 been bred. This led to the rams being minutely examined, and 

 no trace of scab could be recognised. They were put to serve hill 

 ewes in the month of November, after passing another careful 

 examination, and passed as sound. But in the course of a month 

 two of them showed symptoms of scab ; and upon examina- 

 tion it was found the disease had clearly manifested itself. The 

 four rams were immediately taken in and dressed ; but in the 

 month of January several of the ewes were affected. The whole 

 hirsel was subjected to a minute examination, and although a 

 very few were slightly infected, the whole were dressed, and the 

 disease at once disappeared. This shows the great importance of 

 applying a cure as soon as the disease is observed, and of dress- 

 ing every sheep that may have had an opportunity of coming in 

 contact with the diseased ones. To illustrate this fact, I may 

 relate the following, which occurred on a stock-farm not far 

 distant from the last mentioned, and where scab was communi- 

 cated to the ewe from buying in diseased rams, and where also 

 no disease could be traced on the animals at the time of purchase. 

 They were put to serve the ewes at Martinmas, and were brought 

 in at the New- Year, and put on liberal feeding, and in the course 

 of a few weeks the disease manifested itself. Scab broke out 

 among the ewes by the middle of February, and those that could 

 be recognised by sight or showed symptoms of disease only were 

 dressed. The cure, or rather what may be termed no cure at all, 



