SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 511 



Dysentery. — Dysentery is caused by an inflammation of the mucous or 

 inner coat of the larger intestines, causing a preternatural increase in their 

 secretions, and a morbid alteration in the character of those secretions. It 

 is frequently consequent on that form of diarrhea which is caused by an 

 inflammation of the mucous coat of the smaller intestines. The inflam- 

 mation extends throughout the whole alimentary canal, increases in viru- 

 lence, and it becomes dysentery — a disease frequently dangerous and ob- 

 stinate in its character, but fortunately not common among sheep in this 

 part of the United States. Its diagnosis differs from that of diarrhea in 

 several readily observed particulars. There is evident fever ; the appe- 

 tite is capricious, ordinarily very feeble ; the stools are as thin or even thin- 

 ner than in diarrhea, but much more adhesive in consequence of the pres- 

 ence of large quantities of mucus. As the erosion of the intestines ad- 

 vances, the fa3ces are tinged with blood ; their odor Is intolerably offensive ; 

 and the animal rapidly wastes away. The course of the disease extends 

 from a few days to several weeks. 



Treatment. — I have seen but a few well-defined cases of dysentery, 

 and in the half-dozen instances w^hich have occurred in my own flock, 

 1 have usually administered a couple of purges of linseed-oil, followed by 

 chalk and milk as in diarrhea (only doubling the dose of chalk), and a few 

 drops of laudanum, say twenty or thirty — with ginger and gentian. Ac- 

 cording to my recollection, about one-third of the cases have proved fatal, 

 but they have usually been old and feeble sheep. 



Farther inquiry satisfies me that moderate bleeding should be resorted 

 to in the first or inflammatory stage of the disease, or whenever decided 

 febrile symptoms are found to be present. 



]Mr. Youatt prescribes bleeding, cathartics, mashes, gruel, &c. He 

 says: 



'• Two Joses oi' physic having beeu admhiistered, the practilionei' will probably have re- 

 i:(jurso to astringents. The sheep's cordial will probably supply him with the best ; and to 

 tills, tonics may soon begin to be added — an additional (quantity of ginger may enter into the 

 oomposition of the cordial, and gentian powder will be a useful auxiliaiy. With this — as 

 an excellent stimulus to cause the sphincter of the anus to contract, and also the mouths of 

 the innumerable secretory and exhalent vessels which open on the inner surface of the in- 

 testine — a half grain of strychnine may be combined Smaller doses should be given 



for three or four days." 



Garget — Is an inflammation of the udder, with or without gene- 

 ral inflammation. Where simply an Inflammation of the udder, it is usual- 

 ly caused by a too great accumulation of milk in the latter prior to lamb- 

 ing, or In consequence of the death of the lamb. It is not the serious mala- 

 dy, here, described by the English veterinarians. 



Trea-tmcnt. — Drawing the milk partly from the bag so that the hungry 

 lamb will butt and work at it an unusual time in pursuit of its food, and 

 l)athlng it a few times in cohV^ water, usually suflices. If the lamb is dead, 

 rlic; milk should be drawn a few times, at Increasing Intervals, washing the 

 udder for some time in cold water at each milking. In cases of obdurate 

 induration, the udder should be anointed with iodine ointment. If there 

 is general fever in the system, an ounce of Epsom salts may be given. 



NERVOUS DISEASES. 



Apoplexy. — Soon after the sheep ai'c turned to grass in the spring, one of 

 the best conditioned sheep in the flock is sometimes suddenly found dead. 



* The English veterinarians reconiniended icaiin fometitatione. 



(951) 



