The Rot in Sheep. 
143 
Clater, who boasts of curing " 9 sheep out of 10 eneii in the last 
stage" of the malady, recommends the following medicament: — 
" Nitre in powder, C o/.s. 
Ginger, fresh jiowdered, 4 ozs. 
Colcotliar of vitriol (red oxide of iron) in fine powder, 2 oza. 
Common salt, 3i lbs. 
Boiling water, 3 gallons. 
" Pour the water hot upon the ingredients ; stir them, and when new milk 
warm, add to every quart of the mixture 3 ozs. of siiirit of turpentine, and 
bottle it for use." 
When using the medicine, we are instructed that " the follow- 
ing directions must be strictly regarded : — Keep the infected 
sheep from food all night; on the following morning give to 
each 2 ozs., or 4 table-spoonfuls of the above mixture (remember 
to shake the bottle well at the moment of ])ouring it out). To 
those which are weak and much reduced by the disease, one- 
half, or three parts out of four, may be sufficient for a dose. 
Keep them from food three hours after giving the medicine, 
and then turn them into a dry pasture. It will be necessary to 
repeat the medicine every fourth day for three times, observing 
the above rules ; but where only half the quantity has been admi- 
nistered, it will be proper to repeat it every second or third day 
for six times." 
This recommendation of Clater may be taken as a fair speci- 
men of the treatment generally advised by the empiric writers of 
his day. It is, however, unnecessary to quote from their works, 
as nothing of value can be obtained therefrom. No instances 
of cure are given, nor is any light thrown on the nature of the 
disease. 
We find, however, a circumstance narrated by Fairbairn, which 
we transcribe, in further proof of the value of salt : 
" In the year 1817," he says, " an active shepherd in my neighbourhood, 
who had the charge of 200 ewes, observing some of them tainted with rot, 
bethought himself of trying the experiment of curing them, and conducted it 
in the following way : — Whenever he sa\v any one or more of them showing 
unequivocal symptoms of rot, he brought them into a dry court-yard or 
empty house, and fed them with hay, turnips, or a few oats. To every one 
of them he gave twice a day a handful of salt, which he dissolved in water, 
and putting the solution into a teapot, jmired it down their throats.* This 
was repeated for several successive days, and continued till some improvement 
in the condition of the sheep was discernible, after which they were turned 
into the field. If the reappearance of the symptoms did not justify their con- 
tinuance with the flock, they were again conducted home, and the salt, as 
before, administered. Few of them required more than two such courses, 
but a great proportion of the flock was treated in this manner, and the 
shepherd delivered the whole of them alive at Whitsunday, except one ewe 
■which had died in lambing." 
* The quantity of salt here recommended would weigh nearly three ounces, an 
amount which could not be daily used with safety. — Author. 
