DROPSY, OR RED -WATER. 305 



feed or ruminate, a dull, heavy appearance, often attended with 

 giddiness, a staring eye, obstinate costiveness, and sometimes 

 the head is carried on one side. In lambs these symptoms 

 are less decidedly marked, but the little animal lags behind its 

 follows, is unwilling to move, and is very dull, and dies in a 

 shorter time than the sheep. Acute pain is rarely manifested 

 in either sheep or lamb, but they are generally carried off in 

 a short time. It is not at all uncommon for the shepherd to 

 leave them apparently well over night, and to find one or 

 more dead in the morning. 



"The treatment of the cases where the symptoms have fully 

 manifested themselves will generally be unsuccessful ; but in 

 the earliest stages, and before the disease has actually been 

 manifested, much can be done. The sheep should be removed 

 to a drier situation, and pasture or seeds or stubble should be 

 substituted for the turnips, and the following medicine 

 administered: Sulphate of magnesia, one pound; gentian, 

 powdered, one ounce ; ginger, dissolved in warm water, one 

 ounce. This is sufficient for eight or ten sheep, or double or 

 treble the number of lambs. 



"Above all, it is desirable, by way of prevention, to 

 remove the healthy sheep to some dry pasture, giving them 

 good, sound hay, a little corn and turnips, only in moderation. 

 Such, however, is the fatality of the disease, that it is a 

 question whether it will not be more prudent to kill the sheep 

 or lambs affected ; that is, if they are in any condition for the 

 table, or unless from any particular reason it is very desirable 

 to preserve them. Bleeding in these cases will not be 

 prudent unless we are sure that inflammation is present, 

 which we may expect if active pain is manifested. 



" Mr. W. Greaves advises the employment of tar as a 

 preventive, and adduces the following instance of its success- 

 ful employment. He says: 'This disease is very prevalent in 

 this part of Derbyshire, and a friend of mine, Mr. Cooper, of 

 Ashford, for many years lost one-fifth of his hoggets from 

 red-water. Three or four years ago he was advised to bring 

 them into a yard, and give each hogget a tablespoonful of 

 common tar every fortnight, and the consequence has been, 

 that although they are kept in every respect in the same way 

 as before, and on the same ground, he has not lost one sheep 

 since the adoption of this treatment.' 



"We give the above on the responsibility of the advisers, 

 in case any farmers may be desirous of trying it, but we can 

 give no opinion in favor of its efficacy." 



