SCAB, OR ITCH 55 1 



If the weather is warm, the preparation may be 

 found too thin ; to obviate this, add an additional 

 quantity of tallow and resin. This ointment is applied 

 in the same manner as the smearing preparation, com- 

 mencing with a line along the back, and one on each 

 side, one down all the legs, and on the centre of the 

 belly, as well as the inside of the thighs, and both sides 

 of the neck. Unless the weather is cold, the wool 

 should be shorn previous to the use of any of the 

 above appliances, and the whole skin well washed with 

 soda and water, or strong soap and water, with a soft 

 shoe-brush, and after the animal is perfectly dry, the 

 ointment may be then applied over the whole body. 



After the ordinary process of shearing, if the sheep 

 were anointed with a very weak preparation of the 

 above ointments, it will have the effect of keeping off 

 the scab and other cutaneous diseases. 



It will require great caution in the application of 

 these ointments, taking care that too great a quantity 

 is not used, because it may bring on salivation, and 

 consequently endanger the life of the animals ; as many 

 have died out of a flock which have been anointed 

 with these mercurial preparations. Instances have 

 occurred where nearly the half of flocks have been 

 salivated, while the other portion exhibited no such 

 symptoms. This may be accounted for in two ways : 

 first, by the shepherd having been too liberal in the 

 application with those which are so affected ; or the 

 salve may not have been properly prepared, from want 

 of attention to the stirring of the ointment until cold, 

 and consequently a greater proportion of the mercury 

 falling to the bottom, and thus rendering it unequally 

 charged with this substance. 



When the animals are salivated — Vv^hich will be 

 seen by saliva issuing from the sides of the mouth 



