340 



Diseases of Sheep. 



tioYi, and hence is immediately perceived ; but it may not be out of 

 place to call attention to some of the peculiar symptoms by which 

 it is indicated. It inostly makes its appearance on the third day 

 after yeaning. It will be observed by the shepherd that the ewe 

 frequently stoops to pass her urine, as if she voided it with pain, and 

 it is not unlikely that the water will be found high-coloured and 

 tinged with blood. Her breath is short and intermittent; she lies 

 down and occasionally appears to have labour-pains ; she droops 

 her ears, and neglects the lamb, as if unconscious of its presence : 

 if slightly pressed on her hind quarters she sinks almost to the 

 ground, and the movement of her limbs is visibly painful and dis- 

 tressing. Eventually the hinder parts swell, mortification ensues 

 while the pain abates, and then death follows rapidly. As soon 

 as the earliest of these symptoms appear, bleeding at the neck 

 should be promptly resorted to, and one bleeding until she faints 

 will be more beneficial than the repeated use of the lancet without 

 fainting. Fomentation of the external parts and those immediately 

 adjoining will afford relief, and an ounce of salts should be given 

 every four hours. I am not fond of injections in such cases, but, 

 if this treatment does not relieve the pain, it may be expedient to 

 inject into the uterus a lotion consisting of four ounces of poppy- 

 heads boiled in four pints of water until reduced to two pints, 

 and then strained, and made with linseed into the consistency of a 

 thin gruel. If the inflammation has attained a considerable height 

 before the disorder is perceived, and there is reason to fear the 

 commencement of mortification, (which will be perceived by in- 

 creasing debility and decreasing pain,) bleeding and purgatives 

 will be too late, and a strong antiseptic drink must be substituted 

 for them. I have used for this purpose the mixture of bark, 

 ginger^ and tincture of camphor, mentioned in the Appendix (No. 

 9), and I have also poured into the vagina a liniment of soap, 

 opium, and oil, in the form given in the Appendix (No. 10). 

 Little chance however remains of saving life when once inflam- 

 mation has terminated in mortification, unless the constitution is 

 naturally very vigorous.'^ 



Inflammation of the udder is no uncommon disorder after yean- 

 ing, and it often proceeds from the shepherd's neglect. Imme- 



* The mortality amongst the ewes, on ten farms in the neighbourhood 

 of Saffron Walden, during the lambing season, taken on an average of 

 several years, seems to be about 4^ per cent. Early lambing, and per- 

 mitting the ewes to be at large, tend to lessen the evil ; while nursing the 

 ewes, and putting them too early upon turnips, colewort, or rich succulent 

 food, increase it. Some years ago I was assured by several flock-masters, 

 at Ilsley, in Berkshire, that they seldom lost a single ewe in lambing on 

 the Downs, the situation of which seemed to be very much exposed. — 

 Braybrooke. 



