DISEASES OF SHEEP. 37 



often overlooked, last for two or three days, after which the 

 disease enters into its second period. 



2. Period of eruption. — This period begins on the sixth 

 or seventh day after contagion has taken place. There 

 appear scarlet-red spots (similar in appearance to flea-bites), 

 of different sizes and number, upon different parts of the 

 surface of the skin, and especially upon such parts as are 

 not covered with wool, such as the inner side of the shanks, 

 the part of the breast where the fore legs join, the testicles, 

 the lips and the eyelids. Such red spots are sometimes 

 not larger than half an inch ; sometimes only a few are to 

 be found, but oftener a very great number may be observed 

 upon one particular portion of the skin. In the centre of 

 these red spots, which are then very little swollen, there 

 appears after twenty-four or thirty-six hours a small, pro- 

 tuberant and very inflammable pustule, which extends 

 deep into the skin and is very painful in case of pressure. 

 This small pustule extends in size during the next day, 

 arching upward, and arriving on the tenth day after con- 

 tagion to its full form and size ; the form being now in 

 most cases circular, seldom oval or otherwise, appearing 

 like a section of a ball. The smaller pox are generally 

 high in construction, and the larger pox flatly constructed. 

 The size of pox varies from that of a pea to a hickory nut. 

 During the aforesaid growth of the pox the size of the red 

 spot diminishes, and the pox itself receives a red circumfer- 

 ence. At the eruption of the pox, and for several days 

 after, a very vehement inflammatory state of the whole 

 body of the animal is observed ; the sheep being very sick, 

 eating and ruminating very little, showing great thirst, 

 standing with its head drooping and legs close together ; 

 the walk is stifi" and difficult, and the animal preferring to 

 remain upon one spot. This difficult walk is generally the 

 first indication of the presence of the disease. The head, 

 4 , . 



