90 



The Rot in Sheep. 



" It may be here remarked that the medicine apparently contained some 

 oleaginous material which had a very unpleasant smell, not unlike fetid 

 animal oil, which had probably to do with its sickening effects. 



" On the 20th June, being two months from its first exhibition, the medi- 

 cine was discontinued to the College sheep. All the animals were kept, how- 

 ever, about six weeks longer, by which time they had become so emaciated 

 that it was determined to destroy them, which was accordingly done. Apost- 

 mortem examination was made of each, and it was found that no real 

 differences existed in the lesions wrought by the disease in the sheep which 

 had taken the medicine from those of the others which had not. Living flukes 

 existed in large numbers in the livers of all the animals. 



" To return to the sheep at Oakington. It has been already stated that in 

 this moiety of the animals, for the first fortnight subsequently to April 22, no 

 material alteration had taken place. By the end of May, however, it was 

 very evident that three of the sheep were gaining flesh, and presenting a far 

 more healthy appearance than the others. Two of these were sheep not taking 

 medicine, and one which was. The other three sheep were wasting, and 

 becoming day by day more debilitated ; but nevertheless, when compared with 

 those at the College, they were in far better condition. 



" On June 6th, forty-five days after the commencement of the experiment, 

 one of the Oakington sheep died, and this, as at the College, was one which 

 had taken the medicine. The lesions met with on examination of the body 

 agreed with those already described, and need not, therefore, to be repeated. 

 The medicine was continued up to the 20th of this month with one of the 

 remaining sheep, and for a fortnight longer with the other — the latter being 

 an emaciated and gradually declining animal. 



" The three sheep spoken of as doing well were by this time so much im- 

 proved that I had little apprehension of their speedy death. The weather 

 was dry and the herbage of the pasture good — circumstances most favourable 

 for their resisting the progress of the malady. All five were kept throughout 

 July, and until the 4th of August, when I determined, as it was evident two 

 would ultimately sink, to kill three of the lot, viz. the two in question together 

 with one of those which had greatly improved in condition, and which had taken 

 no medicine throughout. My chief reason in taking the resolve with reference 

 to the latter named animal, was to ascertain on what its improved state 

 depended, or whether in fact it was the subject of the entozoic disease — rot. 

 On making a post-mortem examination of this animal it was found that only 

 a few flukes were present in its liver, and that the structure of the gland was 

 but little changed — facts which fully accounted for its well-doing. 



" With reference to the two remaining sheep, one of which had taken the 

 medicine and the other not, I feel assured that their improvement depended 

 entirely on the circumstance that few flukes were present in their livers. 



" I have further to report respecting these sheep that, being ewes, I placed 

 them with my breeding flock at the time of putting the rams to the animals, 

 and intend to keep them throughout the winter to mark the result, giving 

 them no more attention as to feeding and management than the flock in 

 general will receive. 



" On reviewing all the details of this experiment, I fear we must conclude 

 that this supposed cure of rot in sheep has proved quite ineffective for good in 

 our experience. 



(Signed) " Jas. B. Simonds." 



Towards the end of 1861, and subsequently to this report 

 being sent in to the Royal Agricultural Society, one of the two 

 remaining sheep began to give evidences of declining health, 



