CHAPTER XXXV. 



SPECIFIC DISEASES. 

 JOINT ILL, NAVEL ILL. 



Reference has been made to some of these, such as sheep-pox. 



These are infectious, either through the open navel or by other 

 portals. In nearly all cases in which the navel is early treated 

 there is an absence of joint ill and of navel ill, but the fact that 

 a few animals will be attacked, although proper precautions have 

 been taken, leads us to suppose that the germs may sometimes 

 enter by the mouth or by abrasions elsewhere. 



Symptoms. Dullness, loss of appetite, or indifference to the teat, 

 increased temperature, accelerated breathing, and a disposition to 

 lie down and remain on the ground. These symptoms commonly 

 precede joint swellings. The latter may not develop at all, but 

 the lamb may die from the pyaemic state of the umbilical cord, 

 which is invaded by organisms which may be said to poison the 

 animal. The navel is moist and swollen, or discharging matter, 

 or the latter may give rise to a swelling because it cannot find vent. 

 The lamb may die in two or three days or linger for weeks. The 

 effects on the joints are secondary, although in a few cases they 

 may be primarily affected. They swell and are very painful, 

 and the young animal cannot stand or kneel to suck. 



Treatment. When once fully developed, treatment is seldom 

 really successful, although better results have been obtained 

 of late years by veterinary surgeons adopting \ he serum vaccine 

 treatment, which is not yet available to the flockmaster. Also 

 the injection, around the swollen joints, of a four per cent, formalin 

 solution, by means of the hypodermic syringe has been found 

 beneficial. Careful syringing into the navel of disinfectants of 

 three to five per cent, strength in the early period of the attack 

 is thought helpful, and the giving of strong tonic medicines, as a 

 grain of quinine twice a day to a young lamb. Painting the navel 

 as well as the joints with tincture of iodine is also practised. No 

 strong oils or liniments should be employed. 



Prevention. On tainted ground where lambs have previously 



