212 



SHEEP— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



and opposite to the third grinder, he 

 will see it rise as it descends from the 

 corner of the eye, and runs along the 

 cheek. He should puncture it about an 

 inch or rather less from the eye. Some 

 shepherds recommend that the blood 

 should be suffered to run into the eye, 

 but this is a ridiculous notion. It must 

 do harm rather than good. 



Next give the Purgative Drink (See 

 No. 66 Domestic Animals, Medicines 

 for,) and repeat if necessary, in three 

 or four days. No other medicines will 

 be required. 



No stimulating application should be 

 made to the eye. It is too often the 

 practice among shepherds to apply su- 

 gar or salt, or white vitrol; but this 

 worse than uselessly tortures the poor 

 animal; it increases the inflammation, 

 and causes blindness where it would not 

 otherwise have occurred. A drop or 

 two of the vinous tincture of opium may 

 be introduced into the eye, two or three 

 times daily; or a teaspoonful of lauda- 

 num may be added to a half pint of water, 

 and the eyes frequently washed with it. 



It will be quite time enough to think 

 of stimulants if the eye should remain 

 cloudy after the inflammation has sub- 

 sided, and then the Lotion for Cloudiness 

 of the Eye (See No. 83 Domestic Ani- 

 mals, Medicines for,) is the strongest 

 that can be permitted. 



Although, perhaps, it would be prudent 

 to send the sheep decidedly and confirm- 

 edly blind to the butcher, lest they should 

 perchance be drowned in a ditch, or 

 some serious accident should occur to 

 them, yet it is pleasing to observe how 

 well they shift for themselves, and what 

 little harm comes to them. For the first 

 few days they are awkward and confused, 

 but, after that, they keep to their own 

 walk, and take with the others, or even 

 by themselves, the accustomed way home; 

 and some one of the flock takes the 

 blind sheep under his protection, and is 

 always at his side in danger, and tells 

 him the way that he is to go by many a 

 varied and intelligible bleat. 



SHEEP, Epilepsy in. — This is somewhat 

 different from staggers, as the animal does 

 not remain quietly on the ground, but it 

 suffers from convulsions, it kicks, rolls its 

 eyes, grinds its teeth, etc. The duration 

 of the fit varies much; sometimes it ter- 



minates at the expiration, of a few min- 

 utes ; at other times, a quarter of an hour 

 elapses before it is perfectly conscious. 

 In this malady there is a loss of equilib- 

 rium between the nervous and muscular 

 systems, which may arise from hydatids in 

 the brain, offering mechanical obstructions 

 to the conducting power of the nerves. 

 This malady may attack animals in appa- 

 rently good health. We frequently see 

 children attacked with epilepsy (fits) with- 

 out any apparent cause, and when they 

 are in good flesh. 



The symptoms are not' considered dan- 

 gerous, except by their frequent repe- 

 tition. 



The following may be given with a 

 view of equalizing the circulation of the 

 nervous action : 



Assafoetida % tea-spoonful. 



Gruel made from Slippery Elm . . 1 pint. 



Mix while hot. Repeat the dose every other 

 day. Make some change in the food. Thus, if 

 the animal has been fed on green fodder for any 

 length of time, let it have a few meals of shorts, 

 meal, linseed, etc. The water must be of the 

 best quality. 



SHEEP, Kidneys, Inflammation of the 



in. — A derangement of these organs may 

 result from external violence, or it may 

 depend on the animal having eaten stim- 

 ulating or poisonous plants. 



Its symptoms are, pain in the region of 

 the kidneys ; the back is arched, and the 

 walk stiff and painful, with the legs wide- 

 ly separated; theie is a frequent desire to 

 make water, and that is high colored or 

 bloody ; the appetite is more or less im- 

 paired, and there is considerable thirst. 



The indications are, to lubricate the 

 mucous surfaces, remove morbific materi- 

 als from the system, and improve the gen- 

 eral health. 



We commence the treatment by giving: 



Poplar Bark, finely powdered I ounce. 



Pleurisy Root, **■ " 1 tea-spoonful. 



Make a mucilage of the poplar bark, by stirring 

 in boiling water ; then add the pleurisy root ; the 

 whole to be given in the course of twenty-four 

 hours. The diet should consist of a mixture of 

 lins eed, boiled carrots and meal. 



SHEEP, Sore Nipples, in. — Lambs often 

 die of hunger, from their dams refusing 

 them suck. The cause of this is sore 

 nipples, or some tumor in the udder, in 

 which violent pain is excited by the tug- 

 ging of the lamb. Washing with pop- 

 lar bark, or anointing the teats with 

 powdered borax and honey, will gener- 

 ally effect a cure. 



