THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



415 



THE DISEASES OF CATTLE AND SHEEP. 



IPSWICH FARMERS' CLUB, 



The Ipswich Farmers' Club recently held its fifth meet- 

 ing for discussion at the White Horse. Mr. M. Biddei.l, 

 the vice-president, in the chair. The subject for the 

 eveniug's discussion was, " The prevalent diseases in cattle 

 and sheep;" introducer, Mr. C. Shorten, of Ipswich. 



Mr. Shorten commenced his address by observing that 

 although he promised compliance when requested to under- 

 take the introduction of the subject for the evening, it was 

 not without much reluctance, caused not by unwillingness to 

 contribute according to his ability to the furtherance of the 

 objects of the club, but from an instinctive conviction of his 

 want of ability to handle the subject in a manner at once 

 pleaaing and profitable. He begged to state that in the re- 

 marks he was about to make he entirely disclaimed any 

 attempt to place before them anything approaching to what 

 might be called a lecture, and that he only aimed at a plain 

 and colloquial statement of the information he had acquired 

 relative to those diseases which were sources of such great 

 anxiety to all possessors of flocks and herds. He hoped that 

 the experiences of the several members present would be 

 abundantly brought out in the discussion, and that some- 

 thing useful to all would be elicited therefrom. Of all 

 diseases to which cattle were subject, that popularly known 

 as the " lung disease" had been, in the British isles, at once 

 the most prevailing and the most destructive for the last 

 twenty years. In continental countries it had been in 

 existence much longer. It had its seasons of aggravation, 

 raging at some times with greater violence than at others. 

 He feared it must be regarded rather as one of the estab- 

 lished diseases of cattle, than as one likely to be soon ex- 

 punged from the list of bovine maladies, He dwelt upon 

 the earnest attention which had been paid to the disease by 

 the veterinary boards, from the professor down to the hum- 

 bleat practitioner, and of the pains taken to investigate its 

 nature. Their knowledge, notwithstanding, was far from 

 satisfactory, as the disease still remained an opprobrium to 

 cattle pathology. Its infectious character was strongly in- 

 sisted upon, and the opinions of eminent British and conti- 

 nental authorities were read. Measures calculated to 

 prevent its spread were shown to be more deserving of 

 attention than vainly hoping for a cure of universal applica- 

 tion, which, at the risk of being thought rash, he would de- 

 clare would never be discovered. The day of specifics had 

 passed by, and disease must be combated by a rational 

 application of means varied according to the stage of the 

 attack, the temperament of the subject, and other circum- 

 stances which would be ever changing. Repudiating as he 

 did a specific remedy, he would not dwell upon the head of 

 treatment, it not being possible to detail all the minutiae so 

 as to meet all the probable phases that might be assumed by 

 this affection. Therefore he could not, if he would, make 

 his hearers independent of their veterinary advisers. He 

 should, however, be happy to answer any question on that 

 head to the best of his ability. He pointed out next the 

 importance of strictly isolating the affected animals, and to 

 pay particular attention to all means calculated to prevent 

 the spread of the contagion, by the prompt use of clarifying 

 agents. With respect to the diseases of sheep, he frankly 



admitted that his experience was only limited ; he was, 

 however, willing to avail himself of opportunities of becoming 

 better acquainted with them, and so he doubted not were 

 other local members of his profession. Whether their use- 

 fulness was to remain restricted, or to become extended, it 

 must rest with the owners of flocks to decide. All diseases 

 must be seen to be understood, and with respect to the 

 diseases of sheep, the opportunities of observation afforded 

 to veterinary practitioners were very limited. He had 

 recently examined the carcasses of some lambs, which had 

 died from the prevailing disease. It proved to be of a 

 parasitic character, and he exhibited some specimens of the 

 different entozoa, and explained the locations severally 

 selected by them. Thread-like worms (filarise) were 

 numerous in the air passages. Others finer yet were found 

 in countless numbers in the fourtti or true digestive stomach, 

 and likewise, in diminished numbers, in the small intestines, 

 while in the large intestines, particularly in the ccecum, 

 were found many specimens of a very curious entozoon, that 

 called the hair-headed worm. For the destruction of the 

 worms in the air passages, the inhalation of dilute chlorine 

 gas, or the fumes of burning tar, were recommended, accom- 

 panied with the internal exhibition of vermifuge medicine, 

 such as oil of turpentine mixed with linseed oil, followed by 

 the use of tonic medicines, such, for instance, as the sulphate 

 of iron. A considerable quantity of earthy matter was found 

 in the stomach of the intestines of the lambs he examined, 

 which it was probable the animals had instinctively taken 

 to allay irritation ; it was suggested that rock salt and chalk 

 should be freely supplied, so that the lambs might lick them 

 at pleasure instead of swallowing sand and pebbles, which 

 were liable to accumulate in large quantities, and to be per- 

 manently injurious to the animals. In conclusion, the in- 

 troducer thanked his audience for the kind attention with 

 which they had listened to his very imperfect remarks. He 

 had not attempted to compose a systematic lecture, for to 

 that he felt himself unequal, even if his daily duties did not 

 present too many impediments to his pursuing the requisite 

 study. He had endeavoured to make a few observations 

 which should form the basis of an after discussion, and he 

 invited all the gentlemen present to relate their personal ex- 

 perience and opinions on the subject before them. He 

 would much rather have been a listener than a speaker on 

 that occasion, for he felt strongly how little it was in his 

 power either to interest or profit them. He, however, also 

 felt that by refusing to contribute in his turn to promote the 

 very desirable object of that society, he might expose himself 

 to the charge of being either unwilling or under the influ- 

 ence of narrow motives, both of which feelings he wished 

 most distinctly to repudiate. (Cheers.) 



The discussion which ensued partook very much of a con- 

 versational form, being carried on in the shape of question 

 and answer. The following were some of the cases related : 



Mr. H. BiDDELL referred to a dairy of nine cows kept by 

 him some j'ears since at an oif-haud farm. They had all 

 been on the farm for several years with the exception of 

 one, which came from a farm where the disease had never 

 been known. The disease, broke out, and the whole either 



