OF THE OX. 11 



clines from any cause (but more particularly 

 from paucity of food), spontaneously generate 

 microscopic parasites, or very minute insects, 

 the germs of which are inherent in their system. 

 A flock of fleecy animals, wasted by deficient 

 food in dry and parched meadows, becomes 

 attacked in due time by a parasitical cutaneous 

 disease, known as the itch, which is enough, if 

 not checked, to destroy the whole. Now, all 

 that is required is to remove this flock to a more 

 fertile soil, where there is plenty to feed them, 

 and the disease will disappear of itself without 

 any treatment. Deficiency of food destroys 

 the health of animals, and abundance of food 

 overcomes disease in them. 



A sheep affected by this parasitical disease 

 may, without any fear, be placed in a flock of 

 healthy sheep, for he will not propagate the 

 distemper; but if instead of being sound and 

 healthy, the flock is in a weak declining state, 

 this contaminated animal will diffuse the 

 disease with frightful rapidity, and may 

 cause their entire destruction. These facts 

 may seem startling, but we are only speaking 

 after the incontestable authority of expe- 

 riments. 



