Report on the Health of Animals of the Farm. 563 



" Dear Sir, " Woodhall Park, 14th Marcl), 1874. 



" I am happy to inform you that there is a decided improvement amongst 

 the lambs ; very lew fresh cases having occurred. 



" /. Wortley Axe, " Yours truly, 



Assistant Professor.'' " J. Noble. 



5. Beport of an Investigation of a Disease in a FlocJc of Ewes and 

 Lamhs, the Property of Lord Braybrook, Audley End, Essex. 



With reference to this investigation I have to report that the flock con- 

 sisted of 193 ewes, and a fair average number of lambs. The ewes com- 

 menced lambing on the 4th of February, and by the 25th of the same month 

 nearly all of them had produced their lambs. On the 4th of March the lambs 

 were attacked with a disease (Aphtha maligna'), which continued to spread, so 

 that by the time of my visit (March 26) forty had died, and thirty others 

 were more or less affected. Subsequently to the outbreak of the disease in the 

 lambs a pustular eruption was observed on various parts of the body of some 

 of the ewes, and more particularly on the teats and mammary gland ; but, 

 beyond an inability in some instances to suckle the offspring with comfort, the 

 ewes did not materially suffer. The ages of the lambs attacked varied from 

 fourteen days to three weeks, and the duration of the malady from six to 

 twenty-one days. The weaker lambs were first and most severely affected. 



The disease manifested itself by an accumulation of frothy saliva in the mouth, 

 and a pustular eruption on the tongue, lips, and gums, of the lower jaw in 

 particular. In some instances the eruption extended beyond the mouth to the 

 nose and chin, the accumulated matter drying into a dark, blood-stained scab. 

 The appetite was but little impaired ; but, in the majority of cases, the opera- 

 tion of sucking was much interfered with, or altogether prevented, by the sore 

 and painful condition of the lambs' mouths. The constitutional symptoms 

 were but slightly marked in the early period of the disease ; as it advanced, 

 however, the emaciation and weakness gradually increased. The pulse became 

 quick, and the breathing hurried and painful ; and in some cases an occasional 

 sore-cough was heard, which was accompanied with a muco-purulent discharge 

 from the nostrils. 



The lesions presented on a post-mortem examination were chiefly centred 

 in the lungs ; occasionally in the liver. In the first-named organs large 

 abscesses were met with, and in the latter, deposits of cheese-like matter 

 of various sizes and of different degrees of consistence. Ulcers and pustules 

 were present in and around the mouth. The bodj' in all cases was much 

 emaciated. Previously to parturition the ewes were fed on swede turnips and 

 trefoil-hay by day, and grass by night; subsequently, however, they were 

 folded on turnips alone, which were much grown. 



A careful consideration of the circumstances relating to this outbreak 

 of disease furnishes the following deductions, viz. : — First. That the disease 

 in the lambs originated in an altered condition of the milk of the ewes. 



Second. That this condition was the effect of the exclusive use of badly- 

 grown turnips as food for the ewes subsequently to parturition. 



The truth of the first deduction was verified by the following experiment. 

 ■ Two lambs from a healthy flock were fostered upon one of the diseased ewes, 

 and in three days both of them became affected with the malady, and subse- 

 quently died. 



The withdrawal of turnips, and the substitution of cake, corn, and grass, 

 soon produced a marked effect in arresting the further spread of the malady. 



J. Wortley Axe, 



Assistant Professor. 



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