46 THE SHEPHERD'S 



as a liquid discharge of a white color, which is simply the passage 

 through the bowels of undigested milk. It is caused by a change 

 in the quality of the ewe's milk, which is not coagulated in the 

 lamb's stomach, and remains as an irritative agent, exciting the 

 bowels to undue action, by which the milk is discharged soon 

 after it is swallowed, almost without change. The food of the ewe 

 probably has much to do with this, as the trouble is most frequent 

 when the ewe is fed upon rank, succulent, watery herbage, or an 

 excess of roots. When this cause does not exist, it arises from a 

 disordered condition of the lamb's stomach. When the former 

 cause is suspected, the ewe should be treated. The food should 

 be changed to other kinds of a more solid and nutritious charac- 

 ter. A poorer pasture should be provided, or hay be given for a 

 few days, along with some crushed oats and corn, or malt, linseed, 

 cotton-seed-meal, bran, or peas. The lamb should receive the 

 following daily, until recovered, viz : 



Linseed-oil 1 teaspoonful. 



Essence of Ginger 5 drops. 



When the cause exists within the lamb, two teaspoonfuls of the 

 following astringent mixture may be given night and morning, 

 after the before mentioned has operated, viz : 



Prepared Chalk 1 ounce. 



Powdered Catechu 4 drams. 



" Ginger 2 " 



" Opium Vu " 



Peppermint Water 1 pint. 



to be mixed. Shake before administering. 



Sometimes the discharge consists of a pale, greenish liquid, sim- 

 ilar to whey ; this is the result of indigestion, as the food of the 

 lamb taken in excess is coagulated in the stomach, and accumu- 

 lates sometimes to several pounds in quantity. When this occurs, 

 in addition to the looseness and color of the dung, the lamb is 

 dull, walks moodily behind the ewe with its head drooped, and 

 the abdomen is hard and swollen. The following should then be 

 given twice, viz : Carbonate of Magnesia, half ounce, mixed in 

 water, to be followed by half an ounce of Epsom salts in a teacup- 

 ful of water, after which the astringent medicine should be given. 

 This course of treatment should be followed in case of the " green 

 scours" which may happen after weaning, when the lamb is 

 turned upon clover pasture. Sometimes the presence of worms in 

 the stomach and intestines will cause a looseness of the bowels. 

 In such a case the discharge from the bowels will be mixed witlj 



