353 DISEASES OF THE SHEEP. 



cus is discharged — if the appetite of the animal is failing 

 him in the slightest degree, it will be necessary to attend to 

 the case. Then use the following remedy : — Take of pre- 

 pared chalk an ounce, powdered catechu half an ounce, 

 powdered ginger two drachms, and powdered opium half a 

 drachm ; mix them with half a pint of peppermint water. 

 The dose is from one to two table-spoonfuls, morning and 

 night. 



" The diarrhoea of lambs is, in a majority of cases, attribu- 

 table to the carelessness or mismanagement of the farmer, 

 either referrible to deficient or improper food, or the want of 

 shelter at an early age ; as the animal grows up he is better 

 able to struggle with the disease. 



" Diarrhoea occasionally attacks the full-grown sheep, and 

 is too often fatal, especially when it has degenerated into 

 dysentery. It is very common in the springy and particularly 

 in the early pait of the season, when the new grass begins 

 rapidly to sprout. Here, still more decidedly than with the 

 lamb, the sheep proprietor is urged not too suddenly to in- 

 terfere with a natural or perhaps beneficial discharge ; and 

 after which the animal often rapidly gains condition. Four 

 and twenty hours should pass before any decisive step is 

 taken ; but if the looseness then continues the sheep should . 

 be removed to shorter and dryer pasture, and hay should be 

 ofiiered to them, if, after having tasted of the fresh grass of 

 spring, they can be induced to touch it. If the looseness 

 does not abate, then adopt the treatment recommended." 



With the writer's flock, diarrhoea rarely occurs with 

 lambs ■when suckling the ewes ; it is at an after age, gene- 

 rally during their first winter, and early in the following 

 spring, when they commence nipping the young grass. 



The disease originates under the following circumstances : 



First: Too sudden a change from dry to green food. 

 Therefore, as has already been remarked in a previous part 

 of this work, when the foddering season is about to expire, 

 the flock should not be allowed to go wholly to grass, but 

 permitted to eat only a little each day for a week or more ; 

 then the sheep may be placed on their pastures permanently, 

 with impunity. 



Second : Sahing freely too early in the spring, while the 

 grass is yoiing and flashy. 



Third : When beginning to feed grain, giving it in too 



