354 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



purified and vitalized. It also has one of its causes in the too 

 succulent and innutritions crops grown on over-rich damp lands, 

 and turnips especially grown on soils of this character deep black 

 vegetable soil are frequently the cause of attacks of this disease 

 of flocks fed on the crops. 80 the natural growth of wood land 

 tends to encourage this disorder, and hence it is commonly known 

 as the "woods evil-" The disease is especially virulent in the 

 early Spring for the reason that the sheep are hungry for fresh 

 fodder, and eat too heartily of the indigestible or too laxative 

 foods. It seems in its manifestations to be akin to the common 

 anthrax, a disease often due to similar causes. The blood is dark, 

 there are dullness, weakness, trembling, cold skin, dry mouth, 

 loss of appetite, thirst, strong action of the heart; the bowels 

 are costive after a period of looseness, the urine is passed with 

 suffering, and is dark colored. This color is not due to the mix- 

 ture of blood but to failure of the liver to act. Unless improve- 

 ment occurs in a few days the animal dies in a condition of deli- 

 rium and severe prostration. 



This is a disease to be prevented by avoiding the cause of it. 

 By keeping the sheep off from the over-grown herbage of un- 

 wholesome lands, and refraining from feeding, even hay cut on 

 such land. The drainage of the wet soil will remove this objec- 

 tion to it, and render the crops harmless. 



Treatment should consist of the use of active purgatives; 

 any of the oils are preferable in this case to saline medicine. 

 Olive oil is the best and most effective, after this raw linseed oil 

 may be chosen. A quarter of a pint will be a sufficient dose for 

 a full grown sheep. It should be repeated in six hours if it does 

 not operate before that time. Twenty grain doses of chlorate of 

 potash may be given in gruel three times a day.^ The standard 

 tonic mixture should then be given twice a day. The food should 

 be of the best and most easily digested kinds. Decoctions of lin- 

 seed or of slippery elm bark; bran mashes, and boiled oats, will 

 be desirable. 



REDNESS OF THE EYES OPHTHALMIA. 



This disease should be treated on the first appearance of it 

 qr the sight may easily be lost beyond recovery. This indeed is 

 not of much account in a sheep, if it is in good condition, for it 

 will always make mutton unless it is affected by some wasting 

 disease, by which its condition is impaired. But all sheep are 

 not necessarily immediate mutton, and a valuable breeding animal 

 is not to be considered from this point of view. Redness of the 

 eyes is not to be neglected. Treatment should be immediate. 

 The disease is also apt to become epidemic in the flock, for the 

 purulent matter flowing from a diseased eye is very apt to con- 

 vey the infection to other sheep. 



The cause of the disease should be investigated. There may 

 be a chaff or beard or some minute foreign matter causing the 

 trouble. If so it is to be removed; and a small pinch of burned 

 alum blown into the eye through a quill will quickly restore the 



