116 



Produce of Calves by a Herd of Coivs. 



very desirous that breeders should attempt this, and for this rea- 

 son it is that I have prepared this paper. Because, if it should 

 prove, by a number of breeders being induced to give the result 

 of their observations so made to our Society, that a Table of Pro- 

 babilities applicable to cattle generally can be established, it ap- 

 pears to me that it will be a discovery of great value. 



XVI. — On a peculiar Disease in Ewes. Addressed to Lord 

 Spencer by John Buckley, Esq. 



My Lord, 



I TAKE the liberty of troubling your Lordship with a statement 

 of some cases of an extraordinary complaint in my flock, which 

 is altogether novel amongst us. 



Several ewes have been attacked with a disease which turns out„ 

 after death, to be an affection of the liver. This organ appears 

 as if it had been parboiled, and is in the first stage of decom- 

 position ; the gall-bladder is unnaturally full ; but the rest of the 

 intestines are in an apparently healthy state. Sometimes a violent 

 purging comes on ; and the complaint, throughout, is accompanied 

 with great debility. Condition seems to have nothing to do with 

 it, as those in high as well as those in low have alike been 

 attacked with it ; it is confined entirely to ewes at different periods 

 after parturition, varying from fourteen days to a month, or 

 longer. Not a fluke has been discovered in their livers, or any 

 other symptom of " rot" whatsoever. I think, in some cases, the 

 disease fixed itself on the udder, with less affection of the liver ; 

 but it has terminated fatally in every instance ; some have died in 

 forty- eight hours, others have lingered a fortnight. Calomel and 

 other purgatives have been tried — in cases where great debility 

 existed, stimulants of different kinds have been tried — but all to 

 no purpose. 



I fear my description of the complaint is a very imperfect one ; 

 but if anything of this kind has come within your Lordship's 

 knowledge or under observation, I should feel much obliged by 

 being informed whether any and what remedies have been suc- 

 cessfully administered. 



The suffering animals have an extraordinary thirst upon them. 



I beg to subscribe myself, &c. &c. 



John Buckley. 



Normanton Hill, Loughborough, 

 May I3th, 1840. 



