188 SHEEP DISEASES. 



the climate. These depend also on cultivation and 

 location. 



5. Some animals are more susceptible to poison 

 than others. Three sheep of the same age, size 

 and degree of health may eat a few leaves of death 

 camas. One may become violently sick and die in 

 a couple of hours; the second may show signs of 

 slight discomfort and soon recover, and the third 

 one may exhibit no ill effects whatever. 



Loss from plants may be due to two causes: 



1. The actual toxic material contained in the 

 plant itself, such as in the death camas, or 



2. The mechanical irritation arising from the 

 sharp points or awns of the plant, such as foxtail 

 or bearded barley. 



Lambs succumb in either case more quickly than 

 adult sheep, due to the absorbing powers of the 

 abomasum, or fourth stomach, and the greater 

 danger from inflammation of the bowels. 



Emergency Treatment. 



Every sheep man should be advised to have in 

 his medicine chest one hundred or more powders 

 consisting of ten grains each of potassium per- 

 manganate and aluminum sulphate. Several long 

 neck pint bottles should be included, and when any 

 sheep gets poisoned, fill the bottle with water and 

 pour the powder into it. Shake well, and give 

 very slowly. Do not set the animal up on its rump 

 to drench it; to do so is to insure traumatic pneu- 

 monia, and death. This dose should be repeated 

 in twenty minutes. 



