222 SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



It is hardly necessary to point out that where this tendency 

 to imperfect healing and suppuration of the navel exists, dirty 

 lambing pens and dirty shepherds supply all that is needful to 

 contaminate the wound, and start a centre from which the 

 blood stream may be fatally polluted. 



The symptoms of the disease are very striking and charac- 

 teristic. The affected lambs are dull and lowering, and lie 

 about with little or no disposition to feed. Soon stiffness 

 appears in one or more of the limbs. This is quickly fol- 

 lowed by severe lameness and swelling of the joints, mostly 

 affecting the knees and hocks first, then spreading to the 

 others. The enlarged joints are at first firm, hot and painful 

 to the touch, but later on they present small soft fluctuating 

 points, which sometimes break and discharge a thick ropy pus. 

 Not infrequently abscesses form under the throat, on the arms 

 and thighs, and in various other parts of the body. 



Fever, indicated by thirst, shivering, and a high tempera- 

 ture, is always present to a greater or less degree. In some 

 instances, as we have already pointed out, the joints escape 

 altogether. In these cases the disorder shows itself by great 

 and sudden prostration, inability to stand, high fever, hurried, 

 panting breathing, and, later, diarrhoea and foetid breath, to 

 which is sometimes added a tympanitic state of the belly, and 

 a yellow condition of the membrane of the eyes. 



With regard to treatment, it may be stated at once that 

 very little can be done to eradicate the disease in animals so 

 young when once it is established. The attention of the 

 flockmaster must be concentrated in the direction of arresting 

 its spread, and this must be done by giving prompt and special 

 attention to the ewes and the condition of the lambing pens. 

 In connection with the former they should be placed on a 

 liberal ration of good nutritious food, and if large quantities of 

 turnips are being allowed the quantity must be reduced, while 

 at the same time such as are diseased should be as far as 

 possible avoided. As a matter of course, the healthy will be 

 separated from the sick. If ewes are still lambing down it 



