860 VETEEINARY HYGIENE 



affected, introduction of the group system so as to reduce 

 the chance of spread, removal of the lambing-pen to fresh 

 ground, destruction by fire or deep burial of all membranes, 

 foetuses, dead ewes, and soiled litter. The liberal use of 

 disinfectants on the ground, and to the hands and clothing 

 of the attendants ; fresh overall clothing must be used 

 daily, and a system established of never touching a ewe 

 until disinfection of the hands in perchloride has been 

 made. Such are the measures of stamping out the 

 disease ; the degree of success can only be measured by the 

 thoroughness with which they are carried out. 



Infective mammitis of ewes is a microbic affection fortu- 

 nately rare in this country. It has been said to be infec- 

 tious from cows to ewes, and that the latter have contracted 

 it from lying on litter soiled by cows. However conveyed, 

 the organism no doubt gains access to the gland through 

 the teat canal, and the usual symptoms of mammitis are 

 present. 



Isolation of the affected ewes is of the first importance, 

 a fresh man must be put in charge of the cases, in order 

 to prevent carrying infection to the other ewes. Disinfec- 

 tion of the ground must be practised, and soiled litter 

 burned or buried. 



There is a form of sporadic mammitis which, though 

 troublesome and destructive, is not infectious, it is of 

 interest from a hygienic point, as one of its supposed 

 causes is chill due to the clipping away of wool from the 

 region of the udder. 



Clipping. — The object of this clipping, known by various 

 provincial names, such as datting, underlocldng, etc., is to 

 remove soiled wool from the udder, especially in the long- 

 wool breeds of sheep, in order to prevent the lamb from taking 

 this wool into its stomach, where it forms an obstruction. 

 As a hygienic proceeding clatting is very necessary, for 

 wool balls in the stomach of lambs are a very common 

 cause of death among long-wool breeds. 



Another cause of wool balls is the animal tearing out its 

 own wool due to the irritation caused by parasites. The 



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