316 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



made post-mortem examinations of afflicted sheep 

 immediately after death no morbid condition was 

 apparent save a slight inflammation of some part of 

 the intestinal tract, and sometimes even this was 

 not in evidence. 



Disorders of the bladder causing stoppage of the 

 urine are caused by the deposit of limy substances 

 in the bladder, which become washed into the 

 urethra where they lodge, causing inflammation, 

 stoppage of the urine, a period of suffering accom- 

 panied with great distension of the bladder, then 

 death. 



The reason for this disorder seems to be in some 

 instances the eating of too many mangels rich in 

 lime, the eating of too much salt, or the drinking 

 of water too "hard" with lime. The worst instance 

 that ever came under the writer's observation was 

 in his own feeding barns where he had a great store 

 of oat hay, put up so very moist that to save it, it 

 was liberally sprinkled with salt. The salt was 

 greatly in excess of the needs of the animals and 

 made them consume much more water than they 

 otherwise would. Very many of the wether lambs 

 became afflicted with this distressing malady and 

 many remedies were attempted to save them. Some 

 few may have been benefited, though the writer 

 doubts it. It is recommended to cut off the vermi- 

 form appendage in the end of the penis, and to slit 

 the penis, opening the urethra, to free it from limy 

 substances that obstruct. The writer advises pre- 

 vention, and in his own experience with thousands 



