410 
Lamenesses of Sheep and Lamhs. 
In the treatment of murrain the prineiple of non-intervention 
must be carefully recognised. Palliative measures only are 
justifiable. All endeavours to arrest the disease, or repress the 
eruption, are injurious. The eruption is in fact a natural cura- 
tive process, which cannot with impunity be meddled with. 
Hence astringent or caustic dressings, often useful in common 
foot-rot, are here not only useless, but absolutely hurtful, at all 
events throughout the earlier stages of the disorder. Time, the 
cleansing of the feet from all filth, removing the superfluous or 
irritating horn, and placing the animals on good dry pasture, 
are in most cases all that is required for the maturation of the 
vesicles. The pain, when excessive, may be relieved by fomenting 
the parts, applying a poultice, or by v/ithdrawing a few ounces 
of blood from the vessels around the coronet, or those under- 
neath the sole. When the vesicles dry up or burst, a dressing of 
simple oil, Glauber's extract, solution of acetate of zinc, or any 
other mild astringent will expedite the cure. When ulcers 
unfortunately supervene, they will require the same treatment as 
ordinary foot-rot. When the mouth and lips are covered with 
vesicles, or painful and abraded, soft food, such as bran mashes, 
steamed grain, ground oil-cake, or chopped fodder must be pro- 
vided. When the udder and teats are tender, they should be 
bathed with warm water, especially before and after the lamb is 
permitted to suck. They may also be washed with vinegar and 
water, dressed with lard or butter, and subsequently with mild 
astringent lotions ; but these last are only permissible after the 
eruption has passed away. Any febrile symptoms that may 
arise usually yield readily to the use of some saline aperient, as 
three or four ounces of Epsom, Glauber's, or common salt given 
dissolved in water. On account of tlie irritable state of the ali- 
mentary canal, powerful purgatives are apt to prove injui'ious ; 
but a lax state of the bowels sliould be maintained by giving the 
animal succulent green food, or mashes well sweetened with trea- 
cle, Bloo(iletting is rarely, if ever, called for. Loss of condi- 
tion, and debility, must Ije prevented by supplying the patients 
with good, easily masticated, and nvitritious food ; and this is 
especially necessary when the moutli participates seriously in 
the disorder. In protracted cases, bitters and tonics are also 
advantageous. Two drachms each of gentian and ginger, with 
one or two scruples of sulphate of iron, may be added to a mash 
with a liberal allowance of treacle. This may be repeated once 
or twice a dav, and will generally be freely eaten. 
In the prevention of murrain, the contagious nature of the 
disease will indicate the necessity of strict separati(^n of the 
sound from the unsound stock. Care should be taken to exa- 
mine all newly purchased Hocks, and to isolate all tliat exhibit 
