COSTIVENESS. 195 



while another pours a teaspoonful of linseed oil or melted lard 

 down the throat and endeavors by gently manipulating the gullet 

 to work the obstruction downwards. If this is ineffectual, a pro- 

 bang should be used. This is a flexible thin rod, as the wash rod of 

 a rifle, or a piece of light rattan or other tough elastic material. A 

 soft ball of tow, or of strips of linen cloth is securely fastened to the 

 end of the rod. This is well soaked with sweet oil or lard, and 

 gently inserted into the gullet until it meets the obstruction, when 

 it is to be forced downwards without violence, a few gentle, but 

 smart taps on the upper end with a light stick being generally 

 more effective than continuous pressure. If the lining of the gul- 

 let is injured in the operation, and the sheep refuses to eat, gruel 

 or other liquid food should be given until the soreness disappears. 

 If the obstruction cannot be removed in this way, the sheep had 

 better be slaughtered. If it is a valuable animal, an effort which 

 is frequently successful, may be made to save it by cutting open 

 the skin and the gullet upon the obstruction, and removing it. The 

 opening in the gullet is then closed by a stitch made with a sur- 

 geon's curved needle, and the wound in the skin closed separately 

 in the same manner. The sheep should be securely held during 

 this operation. Soft food should be given until the wound is 

 healed. (See Treatment of Wounds). 



Costlveness Stretches. This complaint is more frequentty a 

 symptom of disease than a disease itself. Yet it frequently occurs 

 when changing the flock from pasture to dry food. The dung 

 then becomes dry, hard, and scanty, and is discharged irregularly. 

 The termination of the bowel is red and inflamed, and when void- 

 ing dung, the sheep grunts or moans as with pain. Care in chang- 

 ing the food is a preventive, and a few ounces of linseed-cake-meal 

 daily will obviate the difficulty. Injections of warm soap and 

 water, or of one ounce of linseed-oil, will relieve the bowels, and 

 one ounce of linseed-oil given by the mouth will generally bring 

 about a cure. 



When the costiveness is of long continuance, from neglect, the 

 sheep may be perceived stretching itS3lf, spreading the feet apart, 

 raising the head, curving the back, and extending the abdomen. 

 This may also occur from obstruction of the bowels, which, how- 

 ever, is rare with sheep, but is most frequently caused by costive- 

 ness. A teaspoonful of Sublimed Sulphur, (Flowers of Sulphur), 

 mixed with a small quantity of molasses or bird, may be placed on 

 the tongue to be swallowed, once a day, for a week. A regular 

 allowance of a mixture of four ounces of Sulphur with one pound 



