DISEASES OF SHEEP. 355 



eye to comfort and use. If the inflammation has been severe 

 two ounces of Epsom salts should be given in gruel and the animal 

 kept in the dark for a few days. Frequent bathing of the eyes 

 with cold water with a small pinch of sulphate of zinc dissolved 

 in it., will be useful. 



SMALL POX OF SHEEP-VARIOLA OVINA. 



This deadly'disease, so closely akin to the same disease of 

 mankind as to be communicable to those coming in contact with 

 diseased sheep, so far has no>t been known on this side of the 

 Atlantic Ocean. But in the importation of sheep for breeding 

 from European countries, where it exists to a dangerous extent, 

 it is always liable to be introduced into our flocks. A description 

 of the disease is therefore of interest. It is only known as a 

 virulently contagious disease, having a period of incubation of four 

 or five days in Summer, and ten to fifteen in the Winter. 



The symptoms are loss of appetite, dullness, isolation of the 

 sick sheep, and stiffness of the hind part of the body. Trembling 

 follows; the bowels become costive; the eyes are red and weep 

 copiously; a discharge comes from the nose; and the naked parts 

 of the body have red patches. These may appear on the belly 

 or inside the legs. If they become united confluent the result 

 will likely be serious. Otherwise the disease passes through the 

 usual stages as in cow-pox; that is the eruption exudes a lymph 

 which in a short time becomes purulent, then dries, and forms 

 crusts which loosen and fall off, at the end of three weeks or a 

 month. In this mild form the loss of life may not be over five 

 to seven per cent, but when the disease takes on its virulent 

 form it destroys at times almost the whole flock. There are 

 other serious results even to the mild form of this disease. Ewes 

 are prone to abort and lose their lambs; the wool drops off; blind- 

 ness occurs; hoofs rot off; and the sheep which survive are fre- 

 quently wrecks not worth saving. The treatment is hardly to 

 be recommended. Immediate slaughter and deep burial of the 

 diseased carcasses in short unlimited stamping out of the pestil- 

 ence, which being communicable to persons, is and should be the 

 only treatment thought of. 



Prevention of it should be the business of the general Govern- 

 ment, but as private enterprise should lead to caution in running 

 risks of introducing this disease, all concerned should pass all 

 imported sheep through a sufficient quarantine before mixing 

 them with the flock. Inoculation is not to be thought of as long 

 as the disease is not existing here. 



RETENTION OF THE DUNG IN LAMBS. 



Sometimes it may happen that by the first glutinous dis- 

 charge from the bowels of a new born lamb, the anus becomes 

 closed, and the dung is no longer passed, but collects in the lower 

 gut. This becomes distended, and if relief is not afforded the 

 young animals droops and soon dies. The ewes, inclined thereto 

 by natural instinct, will sometimes afford relief by rubbing the 



