TREMBLING, OR LEAPING-ILL APOPLEXY. 353 



more frequently, it occupies and distends the ventricle of 

 the brain."* 



An English writer remarks — " Young lambs oftener die 

 of water in the head than the shepherd or the sheep-master 

 suspects." The symptoms are — a short time after birth the 

 appetite sometimes fails, but frequently is voracious — the 

 bowels become relaxed, but oftener constipated ; the lamb 

 is dull and disinclined to move — staggering a little, pining 

 gradually away almost to a skeleton — and dying, occasion- 

 ally before it is a month old. The disease is generally in- 

 curable. Epsom sahs, with ginger and gentian, have some- 

 times proved efficacious. Diseases of the brain in animals 

 are unmanageable, and baffle the most skilful efforts for 

 their removal. 



TREMBLING, OR LEAPING-ILL. 



Blacklock says, " Several affections are included under 

 the name of trembling, or leaping-ill, all having, in common, 

 more or less of the symptoms which these names denote. 

 They may be considered as arising from exposure to cold 

 and damp, especially on long, fatiguing journeys. Injuries 

 of the loins, either inflicted by themselves in jumping and 

 running, or by others from rough usage in the fold, are com- 

 mon causes of the disease ; but in this variety the hind quar- 

 ters only are powerless. Another species is owing to op- 

 pression of the brain from congestion, in this way resem- 

 bling incipient sturdy, and occurring only in very fat sheep. 



" The treatment of the first variety is by rest, shelter, and 

 a supply of nutritious food. In the second kind, no cure 

 can be accomplished, and the animal should be immediately 

 slaughtered. Copious blood-letting, and doses of Epsom 

 salts, will be found of most advantage in the third species ; 

 but if the sheep can be disposed of, so much the better, as 

 this kind of trembling is almost certain, unless combated by 

 energetic depletion, to end in sturdy." 



APOPLEXY. 



This disease is peculiar only to sheep when they are very 

 fat ; it is their plethoric situation which is the inducing 

 cause. But the fit rarely occurs, if the animal is kept quiet ; 

 but hurried journeys, worry, and over-fatigue will often do it. 

 Sheep, therefore, in high condition, should be driven with 

 * Youatt. 

 30* 



