242 SHEEP HUSBANDRY N THE SOUTH. 



appearance of a part of tlie flock. They showed no signs of violent colds, I 

 heard no cougliiug, sneezing, or labored respiration — and the only indica- 

 tion of catarrh which I noticed, was a nasal discharge, by a few sheep. 

 But those having this nasal discharge, and some others, looked dull and 

 drooping ; their eyes ran a little — were partially closed, the caruncle and 

 iids looked pale — their movements were languid — and the shepherd com- 

 plained tiiat they did not eat quite so well as the others. The pulse waa 

 nearly natural — though I thought a trifle too languid. 



Not knowing what the disease was — and fully believing that depletion 

 l)y bleeding or physic was not called for, let the disease be what it would. 

 1 contented myself with thoroughly purifying the sheep house — seeingthat 

 the feeding, etc.,* was managed with the greatest regularity — and closely 

 watching tiie farther symptoms of disease in the flock. In about a week, 

 the above described symptoms were evidently aggravated, and there had 

 been a rapid emaciation, accompanied, with debility, in the sheep first at- 

 tacked. The countenance was exceeding dull and drooping — the eye 

 kept more than half closed — the caruncle, lids, &c. almost bloodless — a 

 gummy yellow secretion below the eye — thick glutinous mucus adhering 

 in and about the nostrils — appetite feeble — pulse languid — and the muscu- 

 lar energy greatly prostrated. Nothing unusual was yet noticed about 

 their st<jols or urine. 



I now had all the diseased sheep removed from the flock, and placed in 

 rooms the temperature of which could be easily regulated. 



I commenced giving slight tonics "ud stimulants, such as gentian, gin- 

 ger, etc., but apparently with no mav iial effect. They rapidly grew weak- 

 er, stumbled and fell as they walked, and soon became unable to rise. The 

 appetite grew feebler — the mucus at the nose, in some instances, tinged 

 with dark grumous blood — the respiration oppressed, and they died with- 

 in a day or two after they became unable to rise. 



1 proceeded to make some post-mortem examinations, which I shall 

 here detail, although, as I have before remarked, they are extremely im- 

 perfect. I was at hrst inclined to suspect that the primary disease was one 

 uf some of the abdominal or thoracic viscera, and this impression was con« 

 tinned by the abnormal condition of these viscera in the first subjects exam- 

 ined. I therefore improperly confined my attention to these, and some of 

 the external tissues, witltnut any examination of the interior organs of the 

 head and neck. I shall give my notes verbatim as they were taken down 

 at the time, whether the appearances detailed have, as I now believe, any 

 connection with the fatal disease or not. 



Case 1st. Old sheep. Much emaciated — mouth and lips covered with 

 yellow froth — yellow waxy matter under eyes — adhesive mucus in and 

 about nostrils. On opening, external tissues appear healthy — two hyda- 

 tids on omentum of the size of a walnut — gall-bladder enlai-ged and enor- 

 aiously distended with pale, and apparently not properly eliminated bile 

 —gall-bladder slightly adhering to omentum — mesenteric glands enlarged 

 — other abdominal viscera believed to be normal — faeces in rectum thought 

 to indicate a constipated habit — stomachs rather empty. Thoracic viscera 

 healthy. 



Case 2d. Two years old. External appearances as in Case 1st, with 

 Ihe exception of the yellow froth about the mouth. External tissues 

 healthy. Gall-bladder very small and nearly empty — bile pale and un- 

 olirainated — mesenteric glands enlarged — schirrous tumor at the junction 



* They hnd been fed with brijiht hny three times a day, and turnips. Aa those affected as above did nol 

 eat their turnips well, I commencec feeding some oats, in tuidiiion to the turnip*. I believed that a genw 

 lua feed was called fm. and I gave it 



