Variola : Sheeppox. 399 



1(031, brau, linseed, barley, wheat middlings) is good, while for 

 the weak, gruels of oat meal, barley meal, linseed meal, or the 

 same agents dry, may be given. Powdered saltpeter may be 

 -given in this (i oz. to 8 or 10 sheep) and common salt allowed to 

 be licked at will. Drinking water may be given pure, or slightly 

 -acidulated with sulphuric or hydrochloric acid, or hyposul- 

 phite or bisulphite of soda may be used as a substitute for the 

 latter. The bowels are usually costive, and may be relieved at 

 'first by 3 ozs. of sodic sulphate, and later, if need be, by soapy 

 ■injections. Often during the course of the disease a sudden 

 access of fever may be cut short by a milk laxative, if that is not 

 vcontra-indicated by existing diarrhoea. 



Avoid giving heating agents to bring out the eruption. The 

 ;severity of any case and the danger of complex infection are 

 -usually in ratio with the extent of the eruption. 



I/ptions of hyposulphite of soda may be applied to the affected 

 ■parts from the first, and even weak lotions of chloride of zinc 

 -after the maturation of the pustules. For the eyes, nose and 

 jnouth antiseptic lotions may be called for. 



In the advanced stages, in weak subjects, tonics and stimulants 

 -may prove useful. To the mineral acid, quinine ( 10 grain doses) 

 -or gentian (drachm doses) or other bitter may be added for val- 

 oiable stock. 



Treatment is only permissible in the case of very valuable 

 ;animals and when they are surrounded with the most perfect 

 ;antiseptic precautions, to prevent the escape of the infection. 



Prevention. As in all dangerous infections this must be the 

 -preeminent object, and when a new country has been invaded by 

 the disease, no sentiment nor alleged value of affected or exposed 

 -■animals should be made the warrant for treatment, nor stand in 

 the way of the extinction of the plague by the most rigorous 

 measures. The recovery of an individual flock is never to be put 

 in the balance with the danger to which other flocks are thereby 

 •exposed. To avoid smuggling away of exposed animals, and 

 -consequent spread of the disease, the loss should be met by the 

 -commonwealth and no folly, misnamed administrative economy, 

 should tempt a stock owner to endanger the flocks of a whole 

 nation. 



Sheep and goats from countries where sheeppox exists should 

 ;be absolutely excluded. If, in exceptional cases they are allowed 



