322 EED WATER IN SHEEP. 



From the importance of the subject, I am induced to ex- 

 tract the following from Mr Gowing's report: 



" The disease in question was first noticed by the person 

 who had charge of the sheep, in the month of April; he 

 says : " On visiting them early one morning, I found two 

 lambs very unwell, they staggered in their gait, had separated 

 themselves from the others, were dull and dispirited, their 

 heads drooping, their mouths closed so firmly that I could 

 with great difficulty only open the jaws, and a frothy saliva 

 covered their lips. I administered to each a small quantity 

 of castor oil, mixed with some warm milk, and as they 

 appeared a few hours afterwards to be somewhat better, I 

 placed them again with the ewes. The medicine having 

 operated, they gradually recovered; but remained very weak 

 for several days. From this time all went on well, until the 

 commencement of the following month (May). I had left 

 the flock apparently in perfect health over-night, but on the 

 succeeding morning, one of the ewes presented similar symp- 

 toms to the lambs; in addition, however, she was considerably 

 hoven, and breathed with much difficulty. I immediately 

 gave her a full dose of castor oil, and had her walked about 

 very slowly; this, however, caused evident distress. As no 

 faeces had passed by noon, I repeated the oil, and late in the 

 afternoon, the ewe being still in the same state, I determined 

 on exhibiting a saline aperient, but she died while taking it. 

 On opening the body, the paunch burst from the pressure of 

 the great mass of food which it contained ; and as little or 

 no gas escaped, I concluded she had overgorged herself, 

 which produced a stoppage in the bowels and death. 



" 'A few days afterwards, a lamb, which to all appearance 

 was well at noon, was found dead about 4 P.M. ; and on the 

 third succeeding day another was discovered dead, on the flock 

 being visited early in the morning. A third was taken ill 



