The Rot in Sheep. 



89 



such a condition as would lead to the belief that they would survive long 

 enouah to give a fair trial to the medicine. I preferred one-year-old sheep as 

 offering most of these advantages, and for the further reason that an approxima- 

 tion could be made as to the time they had been the subjects of the malady. 

 Everything being arranged, the experiment was commenced on April 22, 1861, 

 the first tiling done being to divide the sheep into two parts, leaving one moiety 

 at the Royal Veterinary College and sending the other to my farm, " Oakington," 

 in the parish of Harrow. This was deemed important, as each division would 

 be placed under totally different circumstances, especially as to the kind of 

 food which would be supplied to the animals, and the protection which would 

 be afforded them from ordinary atmospherical changes. 



" The sheep left at the College were kept entirely on hay and oats, housed 

 every night in a shed, but allowed the use of a small enclosure during the day. 

 Those sent to Oakington were, on the contrary, placed in a meadow, and had 

 an abundant supply of grass, but no corn ; nor were they protected of a night, 

 save when the weather was wet. 



" I further determined to give the medicine to three sheep only of each lot, 

 leaving the others entirely to their chance. In doing this I selected the appa- 

 rently strongest sheep for taking the medicine. 



" The directions received from France for the use of the agent were that 

 a tablespoonful should be given to each sheep every morning, half an hour 

 before feeding-time, and be continued from fifteen to twenty days to animals 

 in the early stages of the disease, and from thirty to forty days to those in the 

 advanced or latter stages; or even for a longer time in very severe cases. It 

 was further ordered that, as soon as the animals had gained their appetite 

 and strength, whatever other indications of the disease might still exist, 

 no more medicine should be given, as these were signs of convalescence — 

 proper care as to feeding and management sufficing to complete the cure. 

 Under the influence of regimen, care, and exhibition of the medicine, it was 

 also stated that a cure would be effected in a month or six weeks of the sheep 

 in the early stages of the disease, and in about three months of those in the 

 advanced stages. The recoveries were said to be all in the first, and two-thirds 

 in the latter stages. 



" The exhibition of the medicine for the first fortnight appeared in neither 

 lot to have any marked effect, the animals, with one exception, continuing 

 in their original condition. In the exceptional case alluded to, and which 

 was one of the sheep taking the medicine at the College, the disease was 

 evidently fast gaining ground, foretelling a fatal result. 



" On the twenty-first day from the commencement of the experiment this 

 animal died, and on being examined post-mortem, numerous flukes were found 

 in the liver. The organ was pale in colour and had undergone the structural 

 changes commonly met with in rot. Effusion of serum had also taken place 

 into the abdominal cavity, and the entire carcass of the animal was flaccid and 

 paler in colour than is natural from general ana3mia, thus proving the true 

 nature of the malady. 



" Under these circumstances I resolved to give the medicine to one of the 

 three animals which up to now had not taken any, as the trial did not appeal 

 quite satisfactory, death having resulted so scon in the case alluded to. 



" Continuing the report of the College sheep, it is next to be observed that 

 the remedy was continued till the middle of June, and this, not only without 

 any apparent benefit, but seemingly with some disadvantage, as each of the 

 three sheep taking the medicine was more emaciated than either of the 

 other two. 



"This untoward circumstance evidently depended on the nauseating effects 

 of the medicine, as the animals would often refuse their food for some hours 

 after its exhibition, and sometimes even to the latter part of the day. 



