74 DISEASES OF SHEEP. 



afflic/;ed with itch, the further spreading may be sometimes 

 prevented by separating the diseased animals from the 

 healthy in such a manner that such separation is to be re- 

 jaeated for weeks, as long as any infected animals are found. 

 Such a remedy is, however, seldom of avail, inasmuch as a 

 considerable part of the herd may be affected without any 

 possible detection. This palliative cure, being still in some 

 cases of benefit, may therefore be recommended. Of un- 

 doubted success, and, therefore in nearly in all cases advisa- 

 ble, is the radical or simultaneous treatment of the whole 

 herd. Formerly such a cure was seldom attended with 

 favorable results, notwithstanding the employment of a 

 great many different remedies. At the present time, how; 

 ever, the best results have been obtained, and itch disease 

 may in most cases be considered as of little importance. 

 Its cure may be warranted, provided the-animal is not at 

 the same time affected with another disease. The remedies 

 of former times consist mostly of ointments composed of 

 sulphur, turpentine, tar, quicksilver, etc. Although such 

 remedies may be suitable in their proper form, their em- 

 ployment as ointments is not to be recommended, the cure 

 being troublesome, expensive and tedious,' it being almost 

 impossible to apply such ointment to every diseased spot 

 under the close-grown wool, which is of the greatest im- 

 portance. For this reason ointments may be applied for 

 months without entirely abating the (Jisease. At the pres- 

 ent time it is generally understood that the proper cure of 

 itch consists in washing and bathing the affected animals, 

 by which means the entire skin is supplied with the proper 

 remedy without searching for the diseased spots. The com- 

 position of such washes or baths differs according to the 

 opinion of the practitioner, the most celebrated composition 

 being that of Surgeon Walz, which, however, I have re- 

 peatedly tried without any satisfactory result, it being too 



