360 DISEASES OF THE SHEEP. 



eum distended by inflammation. The inflammation pursues 

 its course with ahnost incredible rapidity, and the animal 

 soon dies. 



The careless observer would not always mark the diflfer- 

 ence between diarrhcea and dysentery ; they are, however, 

 perfectly distinct in their seat, their nature, and their conse- 

 quences. Diarrhoea is often an effort of nature to expel 

 from the intestinal canal something that offends. It may be 

 only increased peristaltic action of the bowels, increased se- 

 cretion from the mucous glands, and accompanied by little 

 inflammation and less danger. It is, at first, an affection ot 

 the small intestines alone ; but it may extend through the 

 ■whole alimentary canal, and inflammation, which is not a ne- 

 cessary part of it, appearing and increasing, general fever may 

 be excited, attended by considerable danger. Dysentery is 

 essentially inflammation of the large intestines — the result of 

 neglected or obstinate diarrhoea, or altogether distinct from 

 it — the consequence of unwholesome food — of being pastured 

 on wet or ill-drained meadows — and of being half starved 

 even there. Fever is a constant attendant on it in its early 

 stages, and wasting and debility rapidly follow. 



The discharge of dysentery is diflerent from that of diar- 

 rhoea. It is thmner, and yet more adhesive. A great deal 

 of mucus mingles with it, which causes it to cling to the tail 

 and the thighs ; and there it accumulates, layer after layer 

 — a nuisance to the animal, a warning to the owner of much 

 danger, and that near at hand. When this kind of evacua- 

 tion has been established but a little while, the next warning 

 will be a loss of flesh, and that to an extent that would 

 scarcely be deemed credible. Sometimes the animal eats 

 as heartily as ever ; at other times the appetite utterly fails. 

 Dysentery occasionally carries off" its victim in a few days ; 

 but frequently will live five or six weeks. 



It is only lately that the proper treatment of this malady 

 has been recognized. In every case of acute dysentery, 

 and whenever fever is present, bleeding is indispensably re- 

 quisite ; for this is a disease of inflammation. Physic 

 should likewise be administered, however profuse the dis- 

 charge may be ; for it may carry away some of that perilous 

 stuflf which has accumulated in the large intestines, and is a 

 * By Youatt. 



