Report on an Outbreak of Abortion, Sfc. 199 
it is believed to be more general over the whole county. A 
large number of calves have been reared by nearly all classes of 
farmers during the last two years. 
VII. — Report on an Outbreak of Abortion and Premature Birth 
in the Ewe-Flochs of Lincolnshire during the Winter and 
Spring of 1883. By J. WoRTLET AxE, Professor of Patho- 
logy, &c., at the Royal Veterinary College. 
This Report has reference to the prevalence of abortion and 
premature birth, as stated above. 
The outbreak in question was first brought to the notice of 
the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society by several of its members 
who had suffered serious losses of lambs and ewes, both before 
and during the lambing season. Acting upon the information 
communicated to the Society, a resolution was passed, " That in 
consequence of the loss suffered by farmers from abortion 
amongst ewes, the Royal Agricultural Society be asked to send 
down some competent person, and advise thereon." This was 
subsequently brought before the Royal Agricultural Society, and 
at their request I was instructed to make enquiry into the sub- 
ject, and report the result to the Veterinary Committee. 
In order to become fully acquainted with the circumstances of 
the outbreak, it was deemed advisable that I should visit the 
more seriously affected centres, which were said to be in the 
neighbourhood of Lincoln, Caistor, Louth, and Brigg. At the 
same time a series of questions * was drawn up, and freely dis- 
* QuESTioxs. (If youl- flock has been free from abortion or premature birth, 
answer Questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.) 
1. State if the land over which your ewes have imn, since September last, is 
high or low. 
2. Describe the nature of the soil and sub-soil. 
3. State (A) what number of ewes you put to the ram, (B) their breed, 
(C) their age. 
4. When were they put to the ram ? 
5. On what kind of food were they tupped ? 
C. Did they suffer from any disease such as foot-rot, liver-rot, foot-and-moiith- 
^ disease, &c., immediately prior to or after leaving the tup ? and, if so, to 
what extent ? 
7. Describe fully the winter feed of the past season, and state if it has been 
in accordance with your custom of former years. 
8. Mention the kind of manure employed for your turnip crop. 
9. Did your turnips continue sound through tlie winter? 
10. If on roots, state if your ewes " eat their way," or followed other sheep. 
11. What percentage of your ewes were barren ' 
12. Has abortion or premature birtli prevailed in your flock during the past 
season ? 
13. When did it first appear ? [14. 
