58 , DISEASES OE SHEEP. 



general or dangerous pox disease. 3. It was also said that 

 sheep vaccinated with such cultivated matter (on account of 

 its mild nature) could be kept amongst other sheep without 

 infecting the latter, thereby avoiding any danger to neigh- 

 boring herds. The first assertion is perfectly correct, inas- 

 much as the vaccine-matter does not lose any of its power 

 of protection by any number of transplantations. The 

 two other assertions, however, are incorrect. Although 

 there may be some apparent reasons for the same,, experience 

 proves their utter fallacy. I recollect that the loss in two 

 very large herds which I had vaccinated with matter ob- 

 tained from natural pox only amounted to one-half and to 

 one per cent, respectively ; whereas the loss among herds 

 vaccinated with cultivated matter (of the tenth or twelfth 

 migatory degree) amounted to from two to four per cent, 

 respectively. I was also informed by the master-herdsman 

 of a large estate in Austria that the losses among his herd, 

 which had been vaccinated from cultivated vaccine-matter 

 obtained from one of the above-mentioned vaccine depots 

 (such matter having been transplanted more than one hun- 

 dred times), amounted to twelve per cent, although all 

 other precautionary measures had been duly observed. 



The selection of proper places for vaccination is of great 

 importance. When vaccination was first introduced, it 

 was thought proper to execute the operation upon the in- 

 terior and bare part of one of the fore legs : such treat- 

 ment was, however, abandoned, the efiect of the same being 

 a very dangerous friction, causing inflammation, lameness 

 of the limb and a large number of pox. To avoid such 

 friction the interior and bare parts of the hind leg were 

 then selected, the result being, however, the same. Sub- 

 sequently, the lower part of the abdomen, near the navel, 

 was tried, and also found to be an improper place for vacci- 

 nation. After many trials and experiences, it has been 



