AILMENTS AFTER LAMBING 625 



the vagina, coma and delirium, and death. Treatment. 

 Give a mild laxative, as 4 oz. of linseed oil with I oz. of 

 turpentine, and follow with stimulants and sedatives, as sweet 

 spirits of nitre and laudanum (2 teaspoonfuls of the former 

 and one of the latter) in water every four hours, or whisky, 

 a tablespoonful, and a teaspoonful of laudanum in milk, at 

 the same interval. Irrigate the lamb-bed with a sedative 

 and disinfectant lotion of Jeyes' fluid and tepid water, I tea- 

 spoonful to a pint, every four hours. Apply hot cloths to 

 the loins. Separate and provide for the lamb independently. 

 All litter from affected pens should be burnt, and the pen 

 should on no account be used again. The rest of the ewes 

 should be removed from the vicinity, especially those yet 

 to lamb, and the attendant changed. The bodies of dead 

 ewes should be deeply buried in quicklime, and the lambing- 

 pens treated with quicklime also." 



After-pains or parturition fever occurs especially in highly- 

 fed or forced ewes that are penned on turnips and get little 

 exercise. It may follow either easy or difficult lambing. 

 " The first indications are seen two or three days after 

 lambing ; the ewe, having a wild appearance, neglects her 

 lamb, the urine is high coloured, there is frequent straining, 

 and signs of pain when the loins are pressed. Treatment. 

 Anodyne enemas, as laudanum and warm water (a wine- 

 glassful to the pint) ; a purgative of epsom salts or linseed 

 oil, followed by stimulants (whisky) or sweet spirits of 

 nitre, in doses as recommended under ' Inflammation after 

 lambing.' " 



Navel-ill or joint-ill is a form of blood-poisoning in lambs 

 contracted shortly after birth, usually within a fortnight. 

 "The inciting organism gains an entrance to the system 

 by means of the umbilicus, the lamb becomes very lame, the 

 joints are hot, swollen and painful, and there is marked fever 

 and prostration. Curative treatment is usually of little use, 

 for even if a lamb's life be saved, it is unhealthy and un- 

 thrifty. Preventive treatment is most important. Where 

 lambing-pens are used, they should be kept scrupulously 

 clean. Lambs dropped in open pastures never suffer from 

 " navel-ill " ; it is therefore much better not to use permanent 

 but temporary lambing-pens. 



The Early Treatment of the Lamb. When it is 



2 R 



