DISEASES OF. SHEEP 517 



In mild, unadvanced cases of the lip and leg form the best 

 results are obtained by removing entirely the scabs and shreds of 

 tissue from the diseased areas by means of a piece of wood sharp- 

 ened to the proper angle, and applying three or four times weekly 

 a solution of one of the cresol or coal-tar dips, or, what is far better, 

 an emollient dressing containing 5 parts of one of these dips, 10 

 parts of sublimed sulphur, and 100 parts of mutton tallow, vaseline, 

 or lard. In fact, this form of the disease responds quickly to any 

 of the common antiseptic solutions, and it is astonishing how 

 speedily the majority of these cases improve after careful hand 

 treatment. 



In actively progressive cases or in aggravated, chronic forms 

 it is desirable to remove the scabs, scrape all the soft, spongy tissue 

 from the ulcers, and touch the affected area with a 10 per cent solu- 

 tion of zinc chloride or nitric acid in the strength of 1 part to 7 

 parts of water. Many other remedies have been tried with more 

 or less success, but these two solutions have given the most beneficial 

 results. As these solutions are quite penetrating and extremely 

 caustic in the above strength, they should be handled very care- 

 fully and applied to the diseased parts only. Unfortunately, many 

 have used an excessive amount of these very irritating solutions 

 on the principle that if a little is good, more is better. A pointed 

 stick, covered at its point with a piece of cloth or a tag of wool, 

 will answer nicely for making the application of the solution. 

 After using either of these solutions, the subsequent treatment 

 should consist of three applications weekly of the previously men- 

 tioned emollient dressing, which is antiseptic but not caustic. 



Care must be taken with these caustic solutions, as it is possible 

 to do more harm than good if they are carelessly applied. In fact, 

 the indiscriminate use of strong caustics or the drastic scraping of 

 the ulcers with a sharp knife is detrimental rather than beneficial, 

 as in both cases harm has been done in exposing fresh unprotected 

 surfaces to reinfection. 



While a cure of the majority of the chronic and severe cases 

 may be accomplished with four or five weeks of this treatment, the 

 expense of any treatment applied to the small percentage of these 

 cases which resist this method of handling will usually amount to 

 more than the value of the animal when recovered. Therefore, 

 when the number of old cases in the band is small, and the lesions 

 deep, long standing, and resistant to treatment, their destruction 

 is recommended. 



Where large numbers of sheep under range conditions become 

 affected and all require hand treatment, the problem is a difficult 

 one. Should the disease attack a large number of animals on the 

 legs and feet, and hand treatment is impracticable, the ulcers may 

 be best treated by causing the affected sheep to pass three times 

 weekly through a shallow trough containing a 5 per cent solution 

 of any of the recognized sheep dips, but care must be taken to in- 

 sure the fluid coming in direct contact with the sore parts. Those 

 badly infected cases which show a tendency to resist treatment 



