154 
Report on Liver-Rot. 
lambs born of ewes affected with rot, but my examinations have 
failed to discover any flukes. Mr. K. Garrett, of Carleton 
Hall, had several cases of rot in shorthorn heifers during the 
spring of 1880, but I have not heard of others in this neigh- 
bourhood, though I have been told by butchers that it is not 
uncommon for them to find flukes in the livers of beasts when 
slaughtered. I have asked to be allowed to see any cases of 
this kind, but at present have not been favoured with the oppor- 
tunity of an examination. With regard to your inquiry as to 
the exemption of individual sheep in a flock, I cannot give a 
positive answer, as the opportunities of postmortem examina- 
tions of sheep at a distance from home are necessarily restricted, 
and the disease has not been rife amongst the flocks in this 
immediate district ; but my impression is that it is very excep- 
tional for any individuals in a flock to escape, provided thev 
have not been separated at an early period of the summer. I 
have not examined the livers of hares or rabbits, and am there- 
fore unable to give information ; nor have I heard of or seen 
any cases in horses. From observation of Mr. Garrett's and 
another flock, I am inclined to consider that the month of July 
and latter part of June is the most usual time when the disease 
is contracted. In many cases only a short period is required 
for the manifestation of symptoms of rot. In illustration 1 may 
mention that, on 30th July, 1879, I was first requested to visit 
Mr. Garrett's ewes, as several had shown symptoms of some- 
thing being wrong, i.e. they were spiritless, and not doing well. 
On examination I found the conjunctival membranes pale and 
watery-looking, the wool harsh and dry, and a general unthrifty 
appearance ; but rot not having at that period been seen or 
suspected, I hesitated to pronounce them so affected. However, 
we slaughtered two or three of the worst-looking, and found the 
blood to be thin and watery, with little disposition to coagulate, 
the tissues generally pale and flabby, and but little adipose 
deposit ; with no actual disease of anv of the viscera, though 
the livers were not so firm as they would have been in healthy 
subjects ; but no flukes were discovered, and no dropsical effu- 
sion in the abdomen. Notwithstanding the absence of flukes, I 
bore in mind the wetness of the season, and advised the sheeji 
being treated with a mild aperient, followed hy occasional doses 
of oil of turpentine ; and to have salt and sulphate of iron mixed 
with their food, which was to consist of ground oats, bran, and 
bean-meal, with hay-chaff, and to be kept on the uplands where 
they were when I saw them, though they had previously been 
on Carleton Park, where there is boggy land. I determined in 
my own mind then that the sheep were affected with rot, and 
though I continued to receive reports from Mr. Garrett, and also 
