84 AGRICULTURE. [en. 



this carbonic acid, occurred a few years since on board 

 a vessel which was bringing sheep from Holland to 

 England. In consequence of stormy weather, the 

 sheep were placed below deck, and the hatches closed 

 so that they could get no fresh air. When the hatches 

 were opened it was found that the sheep were dead, 

 and they had to be thrown overboard. They had 

 been poisoned, by breathing the carbonic acid 

 thrown off from their lungs, instead of breathing pure 

 air. 



176. Although the action of the carbonic acid is 

 seldom immediately fatal, we still find considerable 

 injury arising from its being allowed to remain in the 

 building. This injury is very much more serious than 

 it otherwise would be, because the ill effects are not 

 so easily traced to the proper cause. If the carbonic 

 acid cannot get away, fresh air cannot obtain entrance, 

 and it is only a question of how long the animal can 

 exist. If there be no supply of fresh air the animal 

 must die. It is very seldom, however, that the 

 evil influence continues long enough to be fatal, but 

 we very frequently find such a deficient supply of 

 fresh air, that the carbon of the food cannot be burnt 

 off by the lungs, consequently accumulations take place 

 on the lungs and these become diseased. When- 

 ever we fully understand, the wide extent of loss which 

 arises from the buildings in which cattle are kept, not 

 being properly ventilated, we shall be astonished at its 

 magnitude. The prevalence of diseased lungs in farm 

 stock arising from a want of proper ventilation, is in- 

 creasing year by year, and as yet the cause is but 

 imperfectly recognized. If the carbonic acid be once 

 looked upon in its true light in relation to animal life, 

 as a poisonous gas, there will be a greater willing- 

 ness to adopt measures for assisting its departure 

 from buildings in which live stock are kept, and for 

 securing for them a free supply of pure air. 



