374 DISEASES OF SHEEP. 



Psora, Scabies. — {Scab.) — When a sheep or flock of 

 sheep are aff'ected with scab, which is easily known by 

 their continual standing by the fence and rubbing posts, 

 scratching, and tearing the wool off their back and sides, 

 they will scarcely ever be seen grazing or lying down 

 quietly and remasticating their food, as is the case with 

 sheep in perfect health. This disease in sheep is the 

 same as mange, in horses, dogs and cattle; and which 

 result from the attacks of minute insects; or, mites 

 (acari) burrowing in the skin, producing great irritation 

 and itching, and the eruption of small pimples, with dry- 

 ness, scurfiness and baldness of the skin. This disease 

 is contagious; therefore, to prevent the spread of the in- 

 fection, the healthy must be separated from the dis- 

 eased. Keeping sheep clean, and occasionally washing in 

 the summer season, in a great measure prevents a suita- 

 ble nidus for the acari, and diminishes the' prevalence of 

 scab. Before putting healthy sheep on the same pas- 

 ture, it will be necessary to wash all the rubbing posts 

 with the solution of the chloride, or common lime, which 

 will lit^ally burn up the virus. To make the impossibi- 

 lity of infection doubly sure (neat cattle and cows are as 

 liable to take it as sheep) would be to take a crop of hay 

 or turn it over for a crop of corn, or any other purpose. 



Treatment. — The object to be attained in curing this 

 disease is the destruction of the acari, which is necessa- 

 rily the same in all animals, but in sheep the material 

 used must be in a fluid form, so as to penetrate the wool. 



The following is both an excellent cure and preven- 

 tive of scab in sheep : — M. Acid Arseiiiosi, Ibij ; Sulph. 

 Ferri, lb. ccv ; Aquse, cong. Ixv. Traiislation. — Powdered 

 arsenious acid, two pounds; sulphate of iron, two hun- 

 dred and five pounds; water, sixty-five gallons: mix. 



