S02 THE SHEPHERD'S MAHUAL. 



already explained, produces what is known as blood diseases, or 

 diseases originating in and communicated to various organs by 

 the blood. These may be classified as follows : 



1. Diseases arising from an impaired, increased, or arrested 

 function, or process, viz : rheumatism, plethora, anaemia, scrofula, 

 dropsy. 



2. Diseases called enzobiic because arising from animal poisons, 

 originating either within the subject, or communicated by the same 

 poisons originating in other animals, viz : influenza, dysentery, 

 red-water, heaving or after pains, navel-ill in lambs, black-leg or 

 quarter-ill or anthrax fever. 



3. Diseases arising from animal poisons of unknown origin, and 

 which are highly contagious, and freely communicated from one 

 subject to another, hence called epizootic diseases, viz : Epizootic 

 aphtha, small pox. 



Fortunately these diseases so fatal in their operation, and so un- 

 controllable in their course, are easily prevented by proper precau- 

 tion and ordinary hygienic or sanitary measures. Also L: the salt, 

 sulphite of soda, we have a valuable remedy against those ferments 

 which are the active agents in the majority of blood diseases. 



Rheumatism. This disease is attended with considerable fever, 

 constitutional disturbance, and the presence of acid matters in the 

 blood. It affects the serous membrane, as the coverings of the 

 joints, the substance of the tendons and ligaments, the enveloping 

 membranes of the heart, lungs, spinal marrow, bones, muscles, and 

 the brain. As it has a disposition to change its locality almost in- 

 stantaneously, and to pass from one joint to another, or one part 

 to another, (a process known as metastatis), and affects all these 

 important parts of the body, the seriousness of the disease is evi- 

 dent. It consists in a peculiar inflammation of the parts affected 

 which causes acute pain when they are called into action. When 

 it passes from the acute to the chronic state, it causes serious 

 changes in the structure of the joints affected. Its symptoms are 

 general uneasiness and stiffness, a diminished or capricious appe- 

 tite, and sometimes, suspended rumination. The dung is hard and 

 scanty, and the urine is high colored and deficient in quantity. 

 One of the joints is found hot and swollen; in an hour or two 

 this is relieved, and another is found affected. It generally attacks 

 in spring those animals which have been half starved or exposed 

 to cold or damp during the winter. Rams, which have been over- 

 worked the previous season, are often affected. Young ewes are 

 rarely troubled with it. If not remedied by proper treatment, the 



