324 EPIZOOTIC OF 1846-47. 



The epizootic gradually abated towards spring, and my 

 flock regained its perfect health. Near spring, many farmers 

 found what seemed to them an unusual number of "grubs" in 

 the heads of their sheep which died of the prevailing epizootic, 

 and therefore they attributed the disease to this cause — and 

 this seemed to be the prevailing popular opinion. In some 

 of the latest cases in my flock, I discovered more or less 

 grubs; and, in two or three .instances, an unusual number. 

 In other cases, where the external symptoms and the post 

 mortem appearances were almost identical, no grubs were to 

 be seen — convincing proof that they had nothing to do in 

 originating this destructive disease. 



The whole value of the preceding records, in connection 

 with the omitted post mortem examinations, — if they have 

 any — ^is in enabling us to determine what the sheep epizootic 

 of 1846-47 was, and what it was not. I am not prepared to 

 aver that it was identically the same with the "distemper" 

 which used to sweep ofi" from twenty to forty or fifty per 

 cent, of carelessly managed flocks as often as once in five or 

 six winters — and which, though greatly mitigated in the 

 frequency and severity of its visitations, continues to destroy 

 more American sheep than all other maladies combined. It 

 is, indeed, the only malady which proves mortal on a large 

 scale. But, except that the "distemper" of the "bad winters" 

 sometimes closes with dysentery, I never saw any difierence 

 between its general external symptoms and that of the epizo- 

 otic of 1846-47. If their identity should be established, it 

 would be a most important point gained ; for then we should 

 know against what enemy to concentrate our efforts, instead 

 of " doctoring " for rot, inflammation of the lungs, braxy, 

 consumption, grub in the head, etc., etc. — each of which 

 maladies the winter " distemper " of this climate has often 

 been pronounced to be. Unfortunately, I have had no 

 opportunities to make post mortem examinations of sheep 

 dying of that disease since 1846—47. Without this, all other 

 observations are uncertain and comparatively valueless. The 

 farmer who finds a prevailing and mortal disease among his 

 sheep, and who is not sufficiently familiar with the internal 

 structures and appearances of the animal to make an intelli- 

 gent examination of them after' death, should always avail 

 himself of the services of a well educated physician.* How- 



* I never knew such a physician who disdained to bestow Ms skill, on proper 

 occasion, on a brnte. ** Where Allah hath deigned to bestow life, and a sense of pain 

 and pleasure," said Adonbec el Hakim, " it were sinful pride should the sage, whom 

 ho has enlightened, refuse to prolong existence or assuage agony." 



