150 
The Rot in Sheep. 
small and weak one — at the end of February. The ewe still sur- 
vives at tlie time we write, namelv, at the latter part of March, 
and seemingly may continue for many weeks. 
With this report we conclude this section of our subject, and 
pass on to consider in the next and last place the 
Prevention of the Disease. 
When investigations into the nature of a disease forbid the 
hope of its cure, it is indeed most fortunate, should they 
tend to prove that very much may be done to prevent its 
occurrence. The old adage rightly teaches that " prevention 
is better than cure," but the prevention of that which is in- 
curable seems to rise above the proverb itself. Rot when fully 
established can only be viewed as being incurable ; but neverthe- 
less, the knowledge of its cause and nature holds out no faint hope 
of our being able to prevent it. In times gone by various means 
for the attainment of this desirable end were suggested, and as 
some of these have a close connection with those now advocated, 
we shall follow the course we have adopted throughout these 
pages, and glean from the early writers on the disease. 
Leonard Mascall thus advises, — 
" Against the rot, if you feave yoiu" slicepe in wet times, yc shal put them 
into a house three daies and three nights without meat or drinke. Then give 
to eucry hundredth one bushel of bran mixt with so much salt laid in troffes, 
and hunger will make them eate it ; then driue them to the water and let 
them drinke their fill. Then let them be chast with a curre a good space 
after, and put them then into what ground yee will for one quarter, and they 
shall take no hurt. Then must you take them up the next quarter and serue 
them so again. Thus must ye vse them foure times in the yeare in doubtfull 
times, if ye will saue your sheepe from rot." 
We can scarcely imagine that even under the pi'essure of 
severe hunger sheep would eat anything like the amount of salt 
here spoken of, viz., presuming the bushel of 1587 to be equal 
in size to the one in present use. Be this as it may, the pro- 
ceeding could not. be adopted without considerable danger to 
the lives of the animals, for the quantity of salt would exceed 
half a pint to each sheep. It is easy, however, to understand the 
principle here intended to be put into operation, namely, that of 
producing a quick action on the bowels by the direct irritating 
effects of the salt, for the purpose of expelling any injurious 
matters which might be contained within them. This probably 
was regarded as the chief source of benefit ; but then it is ta 
be noticed that Mascall speaks of the security afforded to the 
animals for the three succeeding months. Immunity, if existing, 
could only arise from a portion of the solution of salt being 
absorbed into the general circulation, and exerting its secondary 
