162 



DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 



continue for a short time, break, disciiarge their matter, 

 and are followed by a blackish scab. When the sheep 

 are exposed to cold or wetness, the skin being fretted 

 makes the blisters rise, or they often arise from cold, 

 affecting the animal internally, thus producing a sligiit 

 fever, which throws out these vesicles on the body, 

 similar to the scabby eruptions, which appear about the 

 face, and more particularly the mouth of those persons 

 affected with cold. The blood in this disease is but 

 little affected, though a little of it oozes into the vesi- 

 cles on the skin, and communicates to them that red- 

 dish tinge, which gives origin to the name. 



" Redwater is a disease that but seldom appears iu 

 this country, and is almost never fatal. In cases where 

 the disease is violent, a little blood should be taken. 

 * * # # The sheep should be placed in a fold by 

 itself, * * * * and the following medicine may 

 be given for three or four mornings successively : — 



Take of Flour of Sulphur two ounces. 

 Molasses three ounces : 



mix them, and divide them into six doses, of whichr 

 one may be given every morning, in half a pound (half 

 a mutchkin) of warm water. If this is found unsuc- 

 cessful, half an ounce of nitre, mixed with the foregoing 

 recipe, will be attended with good effects ; after which, 

 a dose of salts may be given, and the body washed 

 with lime-water upon the part affected." 



(144.) Leg Evil. — Symptoms and Causes. Like 

 many other diseases, this is usually supposed to be con- 

 tagious, merely because it often spreads quickly through 

 a flock ; the obvious fact of the exposure of the animals 

 composing it to the same causes, such as peculiar diet 



