THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 221 



time of the year, the animals were supposed to be rendered immune, 

 and the disease prevented. The administration of this prepared soup 

 has not, however, given such a satisfactory result as was anticipated, 

 and the real pathology of braxy has still to be determined. The 

 same investigators, however, found that at certain times of the 

 year — July and August — the blood itself had a remarkable power of 

 destroying the germs of both louping-ill and braxy, and this was the 

 time of the year to dose the animals with the prepared soup in order 

 to prevent them taking the diseases at the time when they were most 

 susceptible to its influence — namely, from October to January. A 

 favourite preventive of the malady with a large number of flock- 

 owners is a preparation of the dung of pigs and skim milk, a wine- 

 glassful of this being administered to each sheep in the third week 

 of September ; one dose is said to render the sheep immune from 

 the complaint. Lump rock-salt or McDougall's health-licks placed 

 on the pastures for the animals to lick give the most beneficial 

 results — except dressing the grazing lands with 6 hundredweight 

 crushed rock-salt to the acre. 



330. In some seasons when sheep are first folded on turnips they 

 are affected with sickness, which somewhat resembles braxy in its 

 attack, and is very rife, the sudden change of food, and some 

 peculiarity in the weather, having a powerful influence in producing 

 it. When sheep are first put on roots, they should have a small 

 quantity of hay, well watered with salt and water, or a little salt 

 given daily with some crushed oats or maize and bran. Were these 

 measures generally resorted to, there would be little, if any, fear of 

 the sickness appearing. When the malady occurs amongst lambs 

 on extensive mountain and hill ranges, lump rock-salt placed on 

 various parts of the pastures will be found to have a very beneficial 

 effect. Treatment. — As the disease runs its course so rapidly, there is 

 little or no chance for medical treatment ; if, however, the case 

 should be noticed early, then 3 to 5 drachms of hyposulphite of 

 soda dissolved in J pint of warm water, to which may be added 

 5 to 15 drops pure carbolic acid, and 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls of tincture 

 of ginger can be given, and repeated in four hours if necessary. 



