242 Report on the Contagious and 



because it places the question in sucli a position that no dispute can possiblj'' 

 arise. 



So important was the estimation in which this disease was held owing to its 

 ready communicability from diseased to healthy sheep when they were pastured 

 together in commons or open grounds of any kind, that in the reign of George 

 III. an Act was passed for the express purpose of preventing the exposure of 

 scabby sheep. The provisions of this Act have been included in the Act of 

 1869 by the placing of sheep-scab in the list of contagious and infectious 

 maladies, and, in addition to this, an Order of Council has been passed 

 authorising local authorities to insist upon the treatment of affected animals. . 



As far as can be ascertained, the order referred to has had no influence on 

 the progress of the disease, which is stUl extensively prevalent in the districts 

 where it is customary to turn sheep into common pastures. 



Sheep-scab is communicable from dismsed animals to healthy ones in only 

 one way, namely, by the transference of the acarus which produces the disease 

 from the skin of the healthy one. It is by no means necessary, however, that 

 actual contact should take place between the diseased and healthy animals. 

 A tuft of wool, torn off while the animal is passing through a hedge, or 

 carried away in the mouth of a dog, portions of wool which may be left on 

 gateposts or other places against which sheep may rub themselves while they 

 are passing along a public road, or through a field, or when they are standing 

 in the market or lairs, will suffice to convey the disease to other animals. 



Yery rarely does it occur that the acarus of one variety of animal produces 

 disease in another variety, although there are instances of the transference of 

 the acan;s from the cat producing mange in the horse. Other experiments 

 which have been had recourse to for the purpose of testing the extent to which 

 the different acari were capable of being transferred, have usually given nega- 

 tive results. It may be therefore accepted as a rule that each variety of 

 animal is infested by its own peculiar acarus, but the rule is subject to 

 exception, and it may be that further experiments would prove that the 

 exceptions are even more numerous than is at present believed. 



Sheep-scab is not a fatal disease ; indeed unless the diseased animals are 

 subjected to great hardship and the disease is allowed to take its course 

 entirely unchecked, it is not probable that any fatal case will occur in the 

 flock ; but considerable inconvenience and loss are occasioned during the 

 course of the malady. Falling off in condition is a natural consequence of the 

 irritation which is produced, and when the disease occurs among breeding 

 ewes it is rendered more serious by the difficulty of applying the necessary 

 remedies. 



The treatment of sheep-scab when properly applied is always successful, 

 and with common care there would be no difficulty in entirely eradicating the 

 tlisease from the country ; and this, notwithstanding that it may be occasionally 

 introduced by foreign sheep which are purchased at stores. 



In fact, sheep-scab is one of those maladies which should never exist on a 

 well-managed farm. All newly purchased sheep should be subjected to a 

 I^rocess of dipping, which would have the effect of curing the disease if it 

 should be present, the process being apphed as a precautionary measure without 

 reference to the condition of the animals at the time. 



Remedies for the cure of scab are numerous, and the majority of them are 

 perfectly efficacious. Among the agents used may be mentioned various 

 compounds of mercury, arsenic, and preparations of carbolic acid. All these 

 remedies have been at different times charged with serious consequences 

 which have followed upon their application, but it has generally been found 

 upon inquiry that the injury has resulted not so much from the quality of the 

 preparation as from the want of skill in applying it. Compounds which 

 contain carbolic acid appear to be the least dangerous, and it is said by those 



