84 DISEASES OF SHEEP. 



sick animals from the flock, and even these can be cured 

 radically, surely and easily. I know of a case where five 

 large flocks were attacked simultaneously, and where the 

 epidemic was present for two years. Although all proper 

 remedies were tried, the disease would not yield, because a 

 careful separation of the sick animals was not effected. 

 Some sheep lost much flesh and wool, and the disease seemed 

 to be of a dangerous character. I was summoned to cure 

 it, and it disappeared in five or six weeks, which I do not 

 consider a great achievement. The disease rarely, if ever, 

 disappears spontaneously, but it will nearly always yield to 

 a proper treatment, and by this the danger or want of dan- 

 ger may be judged. 



Let us now consider the cure of the disease. If the foot 

 rot has broken out among a flock of sheep, it is of the ut- 

 most importance to separate the healthy sheep from the 

 sick, in order to prevent as much as possible the spread of 

 the disease. All sheep which are lame, and in which the 

 disease is unmistakably present, should be removed. 



Experience has made us acquainted with a large number 

 of remedies, by means of which foot rot may be cured. 

 The reputation which any one of them may have acquired 

 above the others seems to be based more on the manner of 

 its application than on its superior curative properties. 

 The medicine is of secondary importance, the chief point 

 being the surgical, manual operation. It must nevertheless 

 be remarked that all remedies are not of equal value. 

 Boot rot has often been cured by the application of dif- 

 ferent acids and caustics ; as, for example, nitric acid 

 (aquafortis), sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol), pyroligneous 

 acid (wood-vinegar), butter of antimony, burnt alum, lunar 

 caustic, vitriol, hartshorn oil, etc. ; but the most of these 

 remedies cannot be recommended, because they needlessly 

 increase the inflammation which may be present, and 



