158 
The Rot in Sheep. 
may have to bo continued throughout tlie entire summer and 
autumn. The fondness of animals for salt will lead them to 
partake readily of an amount which may under certain circum- 
stances be productive of considerable mischief. We would 
therefore put agriculturists on their guard respecting an abuse of 
this valuable agent. 
Very recently we investigated a case where a number of ewes 
began suddenly to "cast their lambs" about three weeks before 
the time of parturition, all of which were dead. The most search- 
ing examination into the circumstances of their feeding and 
management failed at first to throw light on the cause. No 
objection could be taken to the condition of the animals, their 
apparent state of health, or to the quality or quantity of their food. 
Observing, however, at a subsequent date, some of their faeculent 
matter to be softer and larger in amount than ordinary, and 
also to contain a little blood-coloured mucus, we at once sus- 
pected some cause of intestinal irritation, and made a remark 
accordingly. This drew from the shepherd the expression, " I 
don't think they are right in their insidcs, for they drink so 
much." A clue was obtained ; further questioning brought out 
the fact that several " double handfuls " of salt had been given 
twice a day with their food for many weeks. We took no 
objection to this, but requested the she})herd to bring one of the 
"double handfuls" of which he spoke. This done, we weighed 
it, and on calculating the quantity, found it to exceed three- 
fourths of an ounce daily to each sheep. 
It immediately occurred to us that the blood of the^ ewes was 
so saturated with salt that it was unfitted for the continuance of 
the life of their lambs, and hence the cause of the premature 
labours. We forbad entirely the further employment of salt, 
making no other alteration with reference to the food or manage- 
ment of the animals. As was to be expected, the ewes continued 
to bring dead lambs for about a fortnigJit afterwards, when a 
living one was born. This was followed by others, with an 
occasional dead one in a state of decomposition from long reten- 
tion. But the evil was checked, the cause was removed, and 
the rest of the flock subsequently brought forth an average 
number of healthy living lambs. 
We need add little more respecting the employment of salt in 
the prevention of rot, except to take objection to the suggestions 
which have been made to sow it on the land, with a view of 
destroying ihe cercaruc. If one application of it in a year would 
<lo this, even should the herbage suffer for a time, we, perhaps, 
should not be found to dissent from the practice. But when 
we remember that the natural history of the Distoma hcpaticum 
reveals the fact that brood after brood of cercarice is being pro- 
