588 proceedings of section g2. 



European Braxies. 



Under the popular term " Braxy" a peculiar and fatal disease 

 of sheep has been known for at least a century in certain parts of 

 Scotland, while a disease known as " Bradsot," now recognised 

 to be identical in almost every respect, has been prevalent in Iceland, 

 the Faroe Islands, and certain parts of Norway since at least the 

 middle of the eighteenth century. 



The first scientific investigation of the etiology of the disease 

 appears to have been undertaken by Ivar Neilsen, a State Veterinary 

 Surgeon of Norway, who in 1888 described the causative bacillus, 

 but attempts to transmit the disease by means of cultures, whether 

 by the mouth or by subcutaneous injection, always failed. 



Later on the study was resumed by C. 0. Jensen, who in 1896 

 published an exhaustive treatise dealing fully with the pathology 

 and bacteriology of Bradsot, in which he confirmed the observations 

 of Neilson, but recorded the isolation and cultivation of the specific 

 bacterium and the reproduction of the disease by subcutaneous 

 inoculation, although not by feeding. 



In Great Britain the Disease Braxy has been the subject of 

 various investigations and reports, notably by Duncan, in 1805, 

 Wm. Hogg in 1828, Cowan in 1861, and Wm. Robertson in 1862-3, 

 these investigations and reports having been made at the instance of 

 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. In Britain the 

 scientific study of the disease by modern methods remained un- 

 touched, however, till 1897, when the late Professor Hamilton, of 

 Aberdeen, commenced an investigation which was subsequently 

 continued by a special committee of the British Board of Agri- 

 culture (of which Hamilton was chairman), the results being fully 

 recorded in a voluminous report. 



The disease in Scotland attacks chiefly hoggets under a year 

 old, two-year-old animals being rarely affected, while those three 

 years old and upwards appear to be exempt. In Norway and 

 Iceland, however, yearlings and two-year-olds appear to be equally 

 affected, three-year olds are less susceptible, but still show a heavy 

 mortality ; but older animals are rarely attacked, judging by 

 Hjaltelin's figures. Neilsen draws special attention to the heavy 

 mortality amongst one year old sheep. 



Braxy and Bradsot are almost confined to the late autumn and 

 winter months, during summer cases being extremely rare. Both 

 are generally reported to be most prevalent during frosty weather, 

 especially when the ground is free of snow. 



As regards symptoms, very frequently none are observed. 

 Jensen states : — " The older writings, in fact, declare that the 

 animals often show no sign whatever of the disease until they 

 suddenly fall and die ; but more recent and critical observations 

 tend to controvert this. The sheep suddenly appears ill, is dull, 

 lies about, and cannot be induced to rise ; all movement seems to 

 give pain, and from time to time the animal groans ; the posterior 

 parts of the body become swollen, and a little froth often escapes 



