ON REMEDIES. 131 



is not dirted in parts of the body, that the animal can 

 reach with his feet*; or if there are not some flakes of 

 wool deranged by being pulled by the teeth, or rub- 

 bed by the feet : these signs indicate itching from 

 lice, itch, or some other disease. It is proper, that 

 the shepherd should examine the sheep by separating 

 the flakes of wool in suspicious parts, to observe if 

 the symptoms of the itch are real. 



Q. What are the indications of the itch ? 



A. They consist in the skin being harder in the 

 itchy than in the other parts : hard kernels are felt, and 

 the skin is covered with white scales, scabs, or small 

 pimples, which are at first red and inflamed, and af- 

 terwards become white or green all these symp- 

 toms cause itching : but there is another species of 

 itch or humours, which does not excite to rubbing : 

 it speedily spreads under the wool, and instead of 

 making it fall off, discolours and felts it, as though it 

 had been fulled. 



Q. What is the best ointment for the cure of the 

 itch? 



A. It is that, which is the least costly, and which 

 imparts no bad quality to the wool, or to the flesh of 

 the animal : a mixture of tallow or. grease with oil of 

 turpentine answers these purposes : the grease is to 

 be preferred to tallow in winter, because it spreads 

 easier upon the skin ; but the tallow is best in sum- 

 mer, as it does not melt so soon as grease in the heat. 

 It is very easy to make this compound, the particu- 

 lars of which are given in the twelfth chapter, page 

 108. This ointment costs but little, produces no bad 



