300 THE DISEASES OF SHEEP. 



There is both a benign and a malignant form. The 

 malignant form never joroduces vesicles; the sheep lose 

 their eyes; the wool falls off; the skin cracks in a zig- 

 zag manner, and the nostrils become filled with a fetid 

 discharge. In the benigti form genuine vesicles appear, 

 which, after the scabs fall, leave pits in the skin, on 

 which the wool never grows again. 



According to Prof. Simonds, the disease is not com- 

 municable to the cow or to children. Saccho, however, 

 says that ' ovination ' is protective against small-pox. 



Symptoms. — In 36 to 48 hours temperature rises to 

 105°, or even 107 or 108° ; skin dotted with bright red 

 pimples; eyes bloodshot, and in severe cases the lids are 

 swollen and tears trickle down the face ; breathing quick 

 and short; mucous discharge from nostrils, &c. 



Remedy. — Isolate healthy and watch them. G-ood 

 nursing. Gentle aperients; salines. Tonics; stimulants; 

 nutritive, digestible food for convalescents. Inoculation 

 of healthy sheep produces a rather severe and contagious 

 form of the disease. 



MALIGNANT CATARRH 



Is often very destructive to hill sheep, especially in bad 

 seasons. It is very intractable. Beginning apparently as 

 a simple cold, it is soon followed by destructive inflam- 

 mation and ulceration of the lining of the nostrils; these 

 in turn by abscesses in the glands of the face and throat; 

 also in the lungs, and, if the animal lives long enough, 

 by wasting and diarrhea. The disease is probably caused 

 by a micrococcus. (Walley.) 



Sheep sometimes suffer from simple catarrh, laryngitis, 

 and bronchitis. (See pages 70, 82, 258 &c.) Verminous 

 bronchitis is caused by worms in the air tubes. (See 

 husk.) 



