544 Professor David James Hamilton [March 8, 



Loupinci-Ill. 



The disease is one which, in contrast to Braxy, prevails chiefly 

 during the spring months, although sporadic cases occur in the 

 autumn or early winter. The period extending from the middle 

 of April to the middle of June may be said to Hmit its occurrence 

 in an epidemic form, the middle of May marking the zenith of 

 its intensity. The valley of the North Tyne is one of the most 

 severely smitten areas, and it was greatly through the interest 

 shown in the matter by the Duke of Northumberland that the Board 

 of Agriculture Inquiry was undertaken. The loss from the disease 

 in the West Highlands of Scotland is tremendous, while all over the 

 southern counties of Scotland its ravages are well known. On 

 the east of Scotland, however, from the extreme north down to the 

 Lothians, the disease is so rare that some of those engaged in sheep 

 farming hardly know what it is. 



Symj)tomatolocjij . — The symptoms can be divided into three dis- 

 tinct stages. In the first, the animal, as in others of these con- 

 tagious diseases of the sheep, is noticed to be somewhat dull. It 

 may separate from the rest of the flock, stand apart in a hstless 

 fashion with drooping head, and be ofl:' its feed. It assumes sub- 

 sequently a reeling gait as if intoxicated, and will lean against a dyke 

 or fence for support, k dazed expression is often noticed in this 

 stage as if the animal were in the initial stage of a fever. 



These symptoms may last for a period of from two to three days, 

 when the sheep falls over, quite unable to support itself, or to regain, 

 even temporarily, the upright position. The limbs are now spasmodic- 

 ally convulsed at intervals of perhaps a minute to a couple of minutes. 

 The movements are mostly of a galloping character, and so incessant 

 that the turf becomes worn in the area of their excursion. During 

 the intervals, quivering or trembling movements are perceptible, 

 hence the name " Trembling Disease " sometimes applied to it in the 

 Western Highlands. The neck is drawn back as a rule, but the 

 uuiscles of the neck are not intermittently contracted as in the case 

 of the limbs. The temperature in this, the second stage, may go up 

 to 105° to 10S° F., and the pulse-rate and respirations are increased 

 in number. The muscles of the jaws and those concerned in 

 swallowing are not usually involved, nor is there any squint, and the 

 intelligence of the animal appears to be little if at all impaired. It 

 will nibble grass, and it swallows milk with avidity and without im- 

 pediment. 



There are cases, however, which assume (piite a tetiinic character. 

 In these the nniscles are in a state of rigid spasm, while, it is said, 

 although I liave never seen an instance of this in the natural disease, 

 the muscles of mastication are in a like rigid condition, and in most 

 respects the phenomena resemble those of idiopathic tetanus. Shep- 



