570 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G2. 



often congested, and may show greyish yellow necrotic areas. 

 Kidneys are more or less congested. Spleen may be normal or 

 pulpy. Thoracic cavity generally contains clear serous or blood- 

 tinged effusion, which, especially on exposure, tends to coagulate. 

 The pericardium often contains a quantity, up to three or four 

 ounces, of similar fluid. The heart may show ecchymoses.^ 



The Disease in Victoria. 



So far I have had but one opportunity of examining cases in 

 an outbreak of such disease on the mainland, but I fully anticipate 

 its occurrence will, on investigation, be found more frequent than 

 is generally appreciated. Indeed, from what I can gather that 

 disease, known to sheepmen as the " Blacks " in New South Wales, 

 is likely to prove on investigation to be of this nature, if not identical. 



History. — The property affected consists of about 7,000 acres 

 of land. The country is broken into shallow valleys by granite 

 ridges. The soil is not rich, but carries about H sheep to the acre. 

 It is fairly well watered by means of springs, which issue at different 

 parts of the bases of the granite ridges and generally result in the 

 formation of a small swampy area around each. As a consequence, 

 Fluke Disease is very common, although no great mortality appears 

 to ensue therefrom. 



The class of sheep kept is entirely merino. 



For a number of years the disease has caused a greater or less 

 annual mortality. In 1901, after the break-up of the drought, 

 very great mortality amongst the sheep was experienced. The 

 nature of the disease was not known, but the owner considers now 

 that it was probably the same as that under review. Since then, 

 although there have been losses each year, apparently they were 

 not sufficient to cause undue anxiety. 



Between the beginning of last year (1910), after the commence- 

 ment of the dry weather, and the end of April, the disease was respon- 

 sible for a mortality of about 500 four- and six-tooth ewes and 

 wethers out of a flock of about 3,000, or over 16 per cent. Almost 

 •every morning one or more of the sheep would be found dead, al- 

 though the previous day no evidence of sickness in any could be 

 detected. After the March rains the mortality almost ceased for 

 two or three weeks, to ultimately resume its monotonous toll till 

 May, when the wet weather became general. It should be observed 

 that not all the property is subject to the disease, there being over 

 4,000 acres in which the sheep mortality has never been above 

 what may be considered the normal in any flock. The nature of 

 the soil or character of the herbage were obviously not the main 

 factors, for they did not materially vary over the whole of the 

 property. 



Season. — -The disease occurs only during the dry weather of 

 summer, and practically disappears after the coming of the general 

 autumn rains, when only rarely is an animal dead of the disease seen. 



1 For details see Veterinary Journal, Vol. 66, p. 254 (May, 1910). 



