183S] 



FARMERS' REGISTiai. 



631 



the first three or four weeks alter heinsr tainted, 

 omit no opportunity of proilucinir it, to increase 

 their profits. When the first stasje is over, flukes 

 beirin to appear in the pori biliarii, the (Jiictiis 

 cnmuiunis choledochus, and in the crali-bladder. 

 At first, the quantity of these creatures is small ; 

 but, as the disease advances, they increase, and 

 helbre death are ofien very numerous. In the 

 last part ot'the complaint, they are sometimes to be 

 Jbund in the stomach, as well as in the intestines 

 and liver. This, like the visceral disorders of the 

 human body, may terminate in resolution, efi'u- 

 eion, suppuration, or scirrhus. 



1st. "The complaint is said to terminate in re- 

 solution, when the inHammatory KCiion jroes of?', 

 without destroyinir the state and texture of the 

 parts. However, I am stronirly inclined to be- 

 lieve, that every considerable inflammation in the 

 human body, and in other animais, although it 

 ends in resolution, leaves behmd it some remains, 

 which may be discovered by an experienced an- 

 atomist. When the vessels are thrown into in- 

 flammatory action for a tew days only, efl'usion 

 commonly takes place, and the coats become 

 thicker, and assume a buffy color. These 

 chanijes in the sanifuinary system often continue 

 throuirh life, and lay the foundation of many 

 chronic and incurable disorders. Sheep that re- 

 cover from the rot exhibit very dirterent appear- 

 ances alter death, accoidino; to the severity of the 

 attack; but the taint is seldom or never entirely 

 removed. I was desired, within these few davs, 

 to look at the liver of an old ewe, that died fat, 

 and contained fourteen pounds of suet in h- r body. 

 The back part of the small lobe was dappled with 

 whitish spots; the coats of the ductus communis 

 and pori biliarii were considerably thickened, and 

 more solid than usual. In color, they resembled 

 the human aorta in old people, and were full of 

 flukes; in other respects the liver appeared to be 

 sound and natural. The butcher asserted, that 

 the variegated appearance and alteration in the 

 ducts, were occasioned by a slight taint of long 

 standing, which had not been considerable enough 

 to disorder the economy, or impair the health of 

 the ammal sufficiently to prevent its feeding. 



2dly. "When sheep die suddenly in tlie first 

 stage of the disorder, an effusion of serum, or of 

 wheyish-colored fluid, may be commonly discov- 

 ered in the cavity of the abdomen, and then the 

 peritoneum surrounding the fiver is generally cov- 

 ered with a membrane or coat of coa2:"ulabIe 

 lymph. This form of the rot has been frequent- 

 ly confounded with the resp, or red -water, thoujjh 

 it diflers from the latter disorder in the color of the 

 effused liquid, in being much less disposed to pu- 

 trefaction, and in several other particulars. 



3diy. '-Abscesses of the liver exhibit another 

 termination of this malady. They are seldom 

 considerable enough to kill immediately; but, in 

 consequence of the absorption of purulent mattei 

 from them, the sheep consequently waste away, 

 and die hectical or dropsical. When the collec- 

 tions are small, sheep will recover sufficiently to 

 bear lambs for three or lour seasons, and after- 

 wards become tolerable mutton. 



4lhly. "The most common termination is in 

 scirrhi, or what the shepherds call knots in the 

 liver; I have seen the whole substance of this im- 

 portant viscus so full of small, roundish lumps, or 

 scirrhous bodies, that it was difficult to find any 



sound part in it. The first attack is unfortuntitely 

 so very insidiotis, that the disorder is scarcely 

 observable, before the aniinal begins to waste and 

 lose flesh. In this advanced state it is said to la- 

 bor under the rot, or pourriiurs, from overlooking 

 the commencement of the disoider." 



Equally various with the conjectures respect- 

 ing the origin of this destructive disease, are the 

 remedies which have been recommended. The 

 late eminent botanist, Miller, allvi^ed parsley to 

 be enif)loyed as a preventive, which is eaten with 

 great avidity by sheep, (the delicacy of whose 

 flesh it greatly imtiroves,^ as iristatices have oc- 

 curred where sheep, fed on parsley, remained 

 sound, while those in the neiiiiiborhoiK! were af- 

 fected with the rot: he, thereiore, recommends 

 sheep to be fed with that veiiVtabie tw;ce in the 

 week, for two or thiee hours each time. 



In places where the rot is usual, it will be advi- 

 sable uniibrmly to fold sheep (where that practice 

 is retained) before the dew fails, and ;o confine 

 them in such folds till it evaporates, both in the 

 spring and sunnner; leeding them with sweet 

 hav, or other dry provende-. In the 'Bath Pa; ere' 

 already referred to, it is remarked, that no ewe is 

 ever subject to the rot while she has a lamb by 

 her side; and it is there recommended, to place 

 sheep that are afl^'ected with tiiis distemper, so that 

 they can get at the bark and young shoots of el- 

 der. Mr, Price fin the same practical workj ad 

 vises every fiirmer to remove ,his sheep in wet 

 and warm seasons, from such lands as are liable 

 to occasion the rot; but, if this object cannot be 

 obtained, he directs a spoonful of common sail., 

 and a like quantity of flour, to be given to eachi 

 sheep in a pint of walvr. once or twice in the; 

 course of the, week by way of preventive. And 

 in case the disease he in an incipient stute, he is 

 of opinion, that the giving of such a dose for four 

 or five mornings successively, will probably ett'ect 

 a cure; for the addition of the flour and water not 

 only abates the pungency of the salt, but also 

 disposes it to mix more gradual;/, and consequent- 

 ly more eflTectually, with the clu ie. The late Dr. 

 Darwin, however, conceived that salt would be 

 more efficacious if it were combined with iron fil- 

 ings and flour, and made into a ball, to ^-e given 

 every morning successively lor a week. Further, 

 as a preventive, it has been reccommended by 

 Mr. Varlo, an experienced a^:ricullurist,, to give 

 each sheep a spoonful of common salt once a 

 week, when a ^^ rutting ssason'' is apprehended ; 

 and, when the animals are accustomed to it, he 

 directs some dry salt to be laid on fiat stones, in 

 various parts of the pasture, as they will then lick 

 it up without any further trouble. 



A very extraordinary operation for the preven- 

 tion of this most destructive malady, is practised 

 bv the German sheep-farmers; and the happy- 

 effects of which havintr, il is said, been incontes- 

 tibly proved, deserve the attentive consideration of 

 every flock-master, thoush we feel compelled to 

 doubt its efficacy. We refer to the inoculation of 

 sheep for the rot, which produces in them the 

 same effect as variolous inoculation does on the 

 human fi'ame. The inoculated animals contract 

 I the disorder, the sv.nfiptoms of which are very 

 ' mild, and the recovery from which is affirmed 

 I to be both speedy and certain. From the ex|)eri- 

 I ments which have been made, it has been proved. 



