LOUPING ILL, OR HYDRO-RACHITIS IN SHEEP. 505 



site side of the river. It is only since all the low-lying and 

 rich land has been torn up by the plough and improved 

 that it occurs to such a fatal extent. Here I must explain, 

 that since these improvements have been made onihe land, 

 and sufficient turnips and artificial grasses raised, the sheep 

 are brought from the hills or unimproved portion of the 

 farm, and folded on turnips during the winter, and are 

 subsequently kept in the young grass fields till after the 

 lambing season. True, a good many lambs may die while 

 in the parks, but the old sheep are seldom affected till they 

 are driven to the hills or to the rough natural posture." On 

 some farms cattle and pigs are affected as well as the sheep, 

 and the pastures can only be safely grazed by horses. Mr 

 Mathewson looks upon it as entirely due to coarse grasses 

 grown on certain soils, adding, that " on some farms that 

 have admitted of being entirely cultivated the disease has 

 almost totally disappeared, lambs only being liable, and that 

 to an inconsiderable extent." On many farms it will attack 

 animals in good condition, but in all cases thin and ill-con- 

 ditioned animals form the majority of its victims. Want 

 of proper food, cold, and wet, are the chief exciting causes. 



Prevention. Keep the sheep constantly in good condi- 

 tion ; allow rock salt in covered troughs as a stomachic ; 

 ameliorate the affected land by cultivation and by growing 

 finer qualities of grass, and avoid putting sheep on such 

 pastures as do not admit of improvement. 



Treatment. This is of course very difficult when a large 

 number are affected. Mr Mathewson succeeded in curing 

 three out of five, by supporting the strength with hay, cut 

 grass, and gruel, and by exhibiting for a week diuretic doses 

 of nitre, digitalis, and oil of turpentine, followed by a course 

 of mix vomica. 



