DISEASES OF SHEEP. 325 



or tablespoonfuls being a dose for a lamb half grown. A standard 

 preparation for this disease is made up as follows: Three pounds 

 of salt and half a pound of saltpeter, are dissolved in three gallons 

 of warm water, and half a pound of ground ginger is then well 

 infused in the liquid, kept warm for a few hours. When it has 

 cooled to milk warm, 24 ounces of turpentine is added, and the 

 whole well shaken. Two ounces is a dose for one lamb. Along 

 with this medicine, given on an empty stomach early in the morn- 

 ing, the standard tonic mixture should be given alternate'y. As with 

 all diseases of this kind the most nutritious and easily digestible 

 food is required, as linseed and oatmeal mashes, the best hay and 

 some sliced carrots or parsnips for the winter feeding, and good 

 clover pasture in the Summer. 



INTESTINAL ROUND WORMS. 



American sheep harbor at least six species of round worms, 

 all of them imported from Europe, and one which is native to this 

 continent. These various species are: 



Strongylus Filicollis, Strongylus Ventricousus, found in the 

 duodenum; Dochmius cornus, Ascaris lumbricoides, found in the 

 small intestine; Tricocephalus affinis, found in the caecum or 

 blind gut; Sclorostoma hypostomum, found in the large intestine; 

 Oesophagostoma Columbianum, found in the large intestine. 



None of these are of any serious importance except the last, 

 which is widely spread, and causes such a conspicuous injury to 

 the intestines as to have been given a special name, knotty guts, 

 by the butchers. 



The symptoms produced by all or any of these worms are gen- 

 eral debility, indigestion, and resulting emaciation. These are the 

 results of absence of nutrition due to the interference with the 

 digestive functions, by reason of the constant irritation of the 

 bowels. It is mostly the case that a sheep or lamb is infected by 

 more than one of these parasites at once, and in many instances 

 it has been found that several of them are harbored by the sheep 

 together. It seems as if every sheep is infested less or more, 

 and even those in the best condition and the fattest that come 

 into the butchers' hands, have a few of these parasites, and some so 

 many that it is a matter of surprise that the sheep could maintain 

 their high condition. 



As a matter of interest these parasites are described, but 

 treatment is so difficult arid there are so many other causes by 

 which the special symptoms may be produced, that it is better 

 for all concerned to study the means of prevention rather than 

 those of improbable cures. 



It is known that sheep may become infected with at least one 

 of this kind of worms through the swine with whom they may be 

 pastured. Thus the large, round worm, Ascaris Lumbricoides, has 

 bean found in sheep although it is a specific parasite for swine. 

 It is also known that pastures become seriously infected by sev- 

 eral kinds of worms that are found in sheep, and the investiga- 

 tions of the scientific students have shown conclusively that it is 



