^50 SHEEP HUSBANDRY JN THE SOUTH. 



neas of the lips and of the mouth, of the eyes, and of the skin ? At the same tine, a'-^ 

 there no indications of vveal?ness and decay ? Nothing tf) show that the constitution la 

 fatally undermined ? Bleed — abstract, according to the circumstances of the case, eight, 

 ten, or twelve ounces of blood. There is no disease of an inflammatory character at ita 

 commencement which is not benefited by early bleeding. To this let a dose of physic 

 ■ucceed — two or three ounces of Epsom salts, adnnnistered in the cautious manner so fre- 

 quently recommended ; and to these means let a cliange of diet be immediately addetl— 

 good hf.y in the field, and hay, straw, or chalT", in the straw-yard. 



Tlie physic having operated, or an additional dose, perchance, having been administered 

 in order to quicken the action of the first, the farmer will look out for farther means and 



appliances Two or three grains of calomel may be given daily, but mi.\ed with 



iialf the quantity of opium, in order to secure its beneficial, and ward off its injurious effects 

 on the ruminant. To this should be added — a simple and cheap medicine, but that which 



is the sheet-anchor of the practitioner here — common salt In the first place, it is a 



purgative inferior to few, when given in a full dose ; and it is a tonic as well as a piugative. 

 ... A mild tonic, as well as an aperient, is plainly indicated soon after the commencement 

 of rot. The doses should be from two to three drachms, repeated morning and night. When 

 the inflammatory stage is clearly passed, stronger tonics may be added to the salt, and there 

 are none superior to the gentian and ginger roots; from one to two drachms of each, finely 

 jMjwdered, may be added to each dose of the salt. , . . . The sheep having a little recov 

 ered from the disease, should still continue on the best and driest pasture on the larni, and 

 should always have salt within their reach The rot is not infectious." 



Diarrhea. — This disease is often more pi-operly a nervous than a fehriU 

 one — in the former case, a morbid increase of the peristaltic motion of the 

 bowels — in the latter, an inflammation of the mucous coat of the sinallei 

 intestines. But for the purpose of viewing it in connection with dysen- 

 tery, to which it is sometimes closely allied, and into which it often runs 

 — and which is clearly a febrile disease — it will be described here. 



Common diarrhea, purging', or scours, manifests itself simply by the 

 copiousness and fluidity of the alvine evacuations. It is brought on V)y a 

 sudden change from dry feed to green, or by the introduction of im- 

 proper substances into the stomach. It is important to clearly distinguish 

 this disease from dysentery. In diarrhea there is no apparent general 

 fever ; the appetite remains good ; the stools are thin and watery, but 

 unaccompanied with slime (mucus) and blood ; the odor of the fasces is 

 far less offensive than in dysentery ; the general condition of the animal ia 

 but little changed. 



Treatment. — Confinement to dry food for a day or two, and a gradual re- 

 turn to it, oftentimes suffice. 1 have rarely administered anything to grown 

 sheep, and never have lost one from this disease. To lambs, especially if 

 attacked in the fall, the disease is more serious. If the purging is severe, 

 and especially if any mucus is observed with tlie faeces, the feculent jnat- 

 ter should be removed from the bowels by a gentle cathartic — as half a 

 drachm of rhubarb, or an ounce of linseed-oil, or half an ounce of Epscm 

 salts to a lamb. This should always be followed by an astringent, and in 

 nine ca.se6 out of ten, the latter will serve in the first instance. I gener- 

 ally administer, say, \ oz. of prepared chalk in half a pint of tepid milk, 

 once a day for two or three days, at the end of which, and frequently after 

 the first dose, the purging will have ordinarily abated or entirely ceased. 



The following is the formula of the English " sheep's cordial " usually 

 prescribed in cases of diarrhea by the Englisli* veterinarians, and there can 

 be no doubt it is a safe and excellent remedy — better probably than sim- 

 ple chalk and milk, in severe cases : Take of prepared chalk one ounce, 

 powdered catechu half an ounce, powdered ginger two drachms, and pow- 

 dered opium half a drachm ; mix them with half a pint of peppermint wa- 

 ter — give two or three table-spoonsfull morning and night to a grr^wn 

 sheep, and half that quantity to a lamb 



