ITS INTUODUCTION INTO KNGLAND. 21 



in the first stage died shortly after its arrival, and thus 

 afforded me an opportunity of ascertaining the lesions 

 that had taken place. The skin was thickly studded 

 with the eruption in its papular or tuberculous forni : 

 many of the papulas were distinct from each other, but 

 the majority of them were confluent in large patches. 

 A section of some of them being made, shewed that 

 they extended to the subcutaneous structure, presenting 

 an appearance not very dissimilar to that of warts. 

 The cellular tissue immediately beneath the integument 

 was infiltrated \\ith blood ; the conjunctival and Schnei- 

 derian membranes were highly injected, as was the 

 mucous lining of the trachea and bronchi; and the 

 vessels of the lungs were filled to engorgement, which 

 evidently was the immediate cause of death. The other 

 viscera, both of the thorax and abdomen, shewed no 

 traces of unhealthy action. 



The second sheep having been shewn to several 

 medical friends, among whom was Mr. Erasmus Wilson, 

 and the views taken by me of the nature of the malady 

 being confirmed by them, a series of experiments was 

 determined on, that we might ascertain in what parti- 

 culars this disease agreed with human small-pox ; and 

 also the best means to be adopted either to prevent its 

 extension among sheep, or to mitigate its severity in 

 those already attacked ; for we were fully conduced 

 that seriovis consequences must follow, should the 

 affection spread among our flocks, even if experience 

 proved that other domesticated animals were not sus- 

 ceptible of it. 



The outbreak in the above instance appeared to 

 depend on the commingling of the Merino with the 

 other sheep, and therefore we lost no time in making 



