TREA'IMENT OF ITCH. 



179 



S«ab was little known any where, but in the High- 

 lands, and the south of England, till the good old cus- 

 tom of smearing with tar and butter gave way before 

 the elegant modern innovations. Into flocks anointed 

 in the old manner it may be carried by infection, but 

 will seldom or never arise spontaneously among them. 



It usually commences in spring among hogs, making 

 its first appearance among the rams, especially those o. 

 the fine-woolled breeds, and is supposed to be induced 

 by overheating, want, or even excess of nutriment, or 

 pasturing on wet lands in rainy seasons. 



(140.) Treatment of Itch. Subject the flock to a 

 minute examination whenever the movements of any 

 animal excite suspicion, and remove every one that is 

 in the least affected. Place them in a separate enclo- 

 sure, and apply either of the following recipes. 



*Take of Mercurial Ointment four pounds, 

 Venice Turpentine half a pound. 

 Oil of Turpentine one pint : 

 mix thoroughly. 



Separate the wool from the head to the tail and draw 

 the fore finger loaded with a portion of the ointment, 

 along the bottom of the groove. Then make lines from 

 the middle of the back down each leg and score them 

 in the same manner, thus concluding the operation. 

 Some farmers prefer rubbing the size of a walnut of the 

 ointment into the delicate skin inside the thigh. The 

 former plan is, however, the better of the two, and is 

 the one recommended by Sir Joseph Banks, who com- 

 municated the recipe to the Society for the Encourage- 

 ment of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, in the 

 7th volume of whose transactions it was published. 



A most important benefit to be derived from the ap- 



