AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 237 



greatest size en the sixth, when a few others generally ap- 

 pear near the first. 



Soon after this the usual symptoms of fever and general 

 eruption take place, which last is, however, more regular 

 and safe than if the animal had taken the disease without 

 inoculation. 



The only care necessary during the progress of the dis- 

 order is to keep the sheep in a cool and airy situation. In- 

 ternal remedies are not required, but the sores should be 

 often washed with a strong infusion of camomile flowers, in 

 which a little blue vitriol has been peviously dissolved, and 

 afterwards dressed with a salve made of yolks of eggs and 

 turpentine, mixed with a little powdered charcoal. 



The Reeling Sickness is never infectious, but generally in- 

 curable. Its first symptoms are a weakness in the gait, and 

 a disposition in the animal affected to remain separate from 

 the flock. The head is thrown into an unnatural posture, 

 generally on one side. The animal then begins to turn round, 

 always in one direction; stumbles and falls repeatedly, some- 

 times with the head under the body, then ceases to feed, and 

 soon dies. 



Lambs and yearlings only are usually liable to this dis- 

 order, and very rarely sheep over two years old. The seat 

 of the disorder is always to be discovered on the brain, where 

 one or more blisters are formed and filled with a watery 

 secretion. 



The origin of this complaint, and of course the proper 

 preventive treatment, remain as yet undiscovered. A cure 

 is sometimes effected by an operation through the skull to let 

 off the water. 



The first step in this case is to examine the skull care- 

 fully in search of a soft spot in the bone, which usually in- 

 dicates the spot affected. The skull is then perforated with 

 a trocar, accompanied by a tube through which the water 

 may escape ; after which the tube also is withdrawn and a 

 i&\N drops of the essence of myrrh applied to the aperture. 

 This operation is sometimes successful, but more often the 

 reverse. If it succeeds, however, in only one cure out of 

 five, it seems worth the trial, since without some relief the 

 sheep must certainly perish. 



Swelled Paunch. When sheep or other ruminating ani- 

 mals eat more than they can digest, the food ferments in the 

 stomach, emitting great quantities of gas, u hich stretch this 

 organ so as to draw together its apeitures, the paunch be- 



