HEAVING PAINS IN EWES. 319 



food over a bare pasture. There are two great conditions 

 favourable to the development of parturition fever in all 

 animals, viz., want of exercise and too much food. 



It is found that a flock of ewes suffering from heaving 

 pains is usually one remarkable for bringing forth a large 

 number of fine lambs. The disease occurs in seasons when 

 twin lambs are numerous, and immediately after the birth 

 of these, there is a great rush of milk to the udder. 



It is a remarkable fact, that this disease is unknown on the 

 Continent, and this may be accounted for from the foreign 

 sheep not having the same tendency to thrive rapidly, from 

 their not being fed on turnips to any extent, and, in fact, 

 not being forced like many English breeding flocks of the best 

 description. The malady is not an old one in this country, 

 and the first reference to it is in the 6th volume of the Vete- 

 rinarian, at page 300, where some remarks by the late Mr 

 Friend of Walsall, are to be found on what he called " gan- 

 grenous inflammation in ewes." A farmer had been giving 

 his flock an unlimited quantity of turnips on his best grass 

 land. Mr Friend, on being called, found eight of the finest 

 ewes lying in the folding yard ; they were, in fact, all that had 

 lambed, and all had died. Mr Friend placed the remainder 

 of the flock on bare pasture, gave oil and other medicines, 

 and stopped the progress of the disease. 



Symptoms. About the second or third day after yeaning, 

 the affected ewe appears restless, full, and has a staring look. 

 Panting and straining then commence. There is little urine 

 or excrement discharged ; what urine does flow is very high 

 coloured, and strongly ammoniacal. Symptoms of irritative 

 fever run high, the vulva becomes swollen, and the mucous 

 lining of the vagina is hot, red, and as the disease advances, 

 gets of a darker colour. The violent heaving or straining 

 may be regarded as the most characteristic symptom, and 



