570 SPOEAUIC DISEASES. 



He removed there from the south of Scotland (the Hawick 

 district) about fifty years ago, and placed a large number of 

 sheep from that part on his new farm. The mortality was very 

 great, quite 30 per cent. He reduced this percentage by limit- 

 ing the introduction of fresh sheep, and devoting his energies 

 towards the increase and retention of sheep home bred. The 

 loss was thus reduced to 10 per cent; and when he became the 

 owner of the land he limed and drained to such an extent that 

 at this date a case of louping-ill is very rare. He is a firm 

 believer in ' no ticks, no louping-ill.' He frequently witnessed 

 in the old days bullocks affected with the disease. He still 

 washes his sheep with Bigges' Dip in solution, and lays down 

 the rule to be good to the land, and louping-ill will disappear 

 wherever it has been seen. 



" At four A.M. on the morning of the 22d April we accom- 

 panied the shepherd to the hill, and found some 600 ewes and 

 their lambs all in good health. About thirty six hours pre- 

 viously the shepherd had found a hogg dead that for two days 

 previously showed very pronounced symptoms of louping-ill. 

 He had, after skinning it, preserved the carcase for our exami- 

 nation in a cavern on the hill. We found it to be cool and 

 quite fresh, with the head cut off. This we regretted, but he 

 stated that a large quantity of fluid had escaped from the 

 cranial cavity on section. At nine a.m. we (having had the 

 carcase and liead carried to the farm-house) made an examina- 

 tion of all the internal organs, also of the brain and spinal cord. 

 The jelly-like exudate was present in great abundance, particu- 

 larly in the lumbar portion of the spinal canal ; the spinal cord 

 was inflamed in patches along its whole length, but the jelly- 

 like exudate was confined to the lumbar region. 



" The test sheep having arrived — they having been driven 

 from the station with a mouth-piece on each, which effectually 

 prevented them from feeding — the muzzles being removed, they 

 were fed with oats and hay and watered, also rested for a few 

 hours. The mouth-pieces were then re -applied, and about one 

 o'clock they were turned on to a field where ticks were known 

 to exist. About ten a.m. the following day they were returned 

 to the outhouse to be fed and watered. A few minute ticks 

 were seen about the inner parts of the fore legs. At one P.:\r. 

 they were again turned out with their mouths securely covered. 

 Every day until Tuesday, the 28th, when the sheep were re- 



