The Shepherds' Guide. Ill 



small pox in the human species, nothing like cure 

 can be attempted with success ; if by cure is 

 meant to put a stop to the progress of the disease. 

 Like all diseases of this kind, it must, and will 

 run through its stages : and all that can be done 

 is by a well regulated diet, and by attention to 

 the state of the bowels, and attempting to miti- 

 gate any violent and untoward symptom, to con- 

 duct the animal safely through it. At first, as I 

 have said in the hope of stopping the spread of 

 the disease,^ every sheep that was attacked was 

 immediately and carefully separated from the 

 flock ; but soon finding this a vain attempt, it 

 was abandoned ; and those only which were more 

 seriously attacked were taken to my hospital, 

 that they might be more particularly attended to. 

 The milder cases were left in the flock to com- 

 mon treatment and common food ; except, that in- 

 stead of corn, the whole flock had bran and water 

 with hay. Those that were taken to the hos- 

 pital had chiefly roots and bran ; and those whose 

 mouths were so sore that they could not eat hay, 

 ©r even roots, were supported on gruel, given 

 three or four times in a day by means of a bottle. 

 The only medicine given, was brimstone and mo- 

 lasses, yeast and molasses, and in some cases, a 

 little nitre. Sore mouths were constantly cleans- 

 ed with vinegar and water ; and when they began 

 to ulcerate, with one of the caustic solutions men- 

 tioned above. In a few of the worst cases, mer- 



