342. THE SCAB. 



No. 2. Take common mercurial ointment, for bad cases, 

 rub it down with th-ree times its weight of lard for ordinary 

 cases, five times its weight of lard. Rub a little of this oint- 

 ment into the head of the sheep. Part the wool so as to 

 expose the skin in a line from the head to the tail, and then 

 apply a little of the ointment with the finger the whole way. 

 Make a similar furrow and application, on each side, four 

 inches from the first, and so on over the whole body. The 

 quantity of ointment (after being compounded with the lard) 

 should not exceed two ounces ; and considerably less will 

 generally suffice. A lamb requires but one-third as much as 

 a grown sheep. This will generally cure, but if the sheep 

 should continue to rub itself, a lighter application of the same 

 should be made in ten days. 



No. 3. Take of lard or palm oil 2 Ibs., oil of tar \ lb., 

 sulphur 1 lb. Gradually mix the last two, then rub down the 

 compound with the first. Apply in the same way as No. 2. 



No. 4. Take of corrosive sublimate % lb., white hellebore, 

 powered, f lb., whale or other oil 6 gallons, rosin 2 Ibs., 

 tallow 2 Ibs. " The first two to be mixed with a little of the 

 oil, and the rest being melted together, the whole to be 

 gradually mixed." This is a powerful preparation and must 

 not be applied too freely. 



Mr. Spooner gives the preference to No. 1, as least 

 troublesome ; Mr. Youatt to No. 2 ; and the author of the 

 Mountain Shepherd's Manual to No. 4. I should certainly 

 prefer No. 3, if it is, as it is asserted to be, equally effectual, 

 for the reason that it contains no poisonous or dangerous 

 ingredients. But its perfect efficacy may be doubted. 



Mr. Robert Smith, in his Prize Essay, several times cited, 

 declares that scab " is never observed or known to arise 

 spontaneously in a flock," in England. It is clearly and 

 concededly not spontaneous in the United States. Mr. Smith 

 adds : " When first discovered, the whole flock should be 

 carefully inspected and the diseased subjects removed to a 

 separate field ; it is best to give the whole flock a light 

 dressing, as a preventive ; no fear need to be entertained of 

 dressing the inlambed ewes, as I have had occasion to 

 practice it at different periods and have experienced no ill 

 effects, observing not to dress the belly or points. The 

 mercurial ointment in common use, prepared by all druggists, 

 is found to be sufficiently good,* without resorting to other 



* Mr. Smith undoubtedly means mercurial ointment prepared by druggists for 

 this especial object not mercurial ointment having the full strength of that prepared 

 according to the London and New York pharmacopoeia, which are the same, viz., 



