DISEASES OF THE OX AND SHEEP. 317 



from the papule in an acuminated form, while that of small-pox 

 is depressed in the centre. The contents of the vesicles are at 

 first rather transparent, then milky, then turbid, then straw- 

 -coloured, the latter changes being due to the presence of pus- 

 corpuscles. Then the contents become dry, and thus ultimately 

 cast off", together with the scale. 



The fever may now assume a typhoid aspect, the discharge 

 from the nostrils becomes fetid, the breathing more rapid and 

 perhaps painful and accompanied with moaning. The cuticle 

 covering the spots becomes brown, and in the case of some it 

 peels off. Pus is formed on the margin of some of the spots. 

 The wool is capable of being very easily separated from the skin, 

 ulcerations of the conjunctiva occur, the internal structures of 

 ;the eye become disorganized, the animal shrinks from being 

 touched, the pulse becomes still more rapid and imperceptible. 

 Putrid ulcers form, whereby the poor animal is made blind, or 

 lame, or may lose part of the lips. Large sores appear on the 

 side of the face, the under surface of the abdomen, the inside 

 of the thighs. The ulceration may extend through the corium, 

 and into the tissues under the skin. The ulcers sometimes pro- 

 duced in the parts where the papules have been confluent may 

 discharge a vitiated fluid for many weeks. 



When the eruption has completely established itself, the 

 general symptoms become less severe, and if the attack is a 

 mihl one, the animal will then probably recover by degrees. 

 There may, however, be a recurrence of fever in the suppurative 

 stage, which is a very dangerous one ; the patients lie chiefly on 

 their sides and moan in agony, heave at the flanks, have their 

 eye-lids, heads, and lips swollen, give forth a discharge of fetid 

 mucus from the nostrils and of frothy saliva from the dry and 

 hot mouth, the tenderness of the body being at the same time 

 so marked that a simple touch will bring on convulsions. The 

 pulse is quicker, the breath offensive, purulent material forms in 

 the tissue under the skin, the alvine discharges also are copious, 

 offensive, and uncontrollable ; and death quickly ensues, very 

 ^generally during the first week succeeding the eruption. If the 

 animal should happen to recover, untoward results may happen 

 .before long, especially in the case of in-larab ewes. The 

 .average direct loss is about 50 per cent. 



In cases of recovery, the eight days succeeding the stage of 



