182 
Report on Liver- Rot. 
occurred of cattle of all ages becoming thriftless and even dying 
from flukes in the liver, gathered from the supersaturated or 
frequently flooded pastures. 
The Marquis of Hertford's deer in Ragley Park during 1880 
were infested with flukes, probably derived from sheep turned 
in during the previous year to clear up the rough herbage. 
Twenty bucks shot early in the season. Lord Yarmouth informs 
me, were seriously infested. When dry food and salt had 
been given for several weeks the bucks then killed exhibited 
a healthier condition of liver and fewer flukes. Like other 
good managers Mr. Charles Randell, of Chadbury, keeping 
his sheep pretty constantly in pens and on well-drained arable 
land, and supplying them constantly with dry food and salt, has 
not suffered from liver-rot. 3Ir. Edward Wfieeler, Ryewood 
House, Tenbury, by similar treatment, out of 380 Shropshire 
ewes has lost only six, although many of his neighbours have 
had to make serious sacrifices. 
Staffordshire. — Rot these two years has ruined many 
Staffordshire farmers. Over the large area of flooded land and 
the colder retentive clays, which abound in this county, the mor- 
tality has been most serious. Mr. J. Woodroof-Hill, M.R.C.V.S., 
of Wolverhampton, on February 23rd, thus reported : — " There 
has been more rot in the sheep of this district during the last 
twelve months than has been known for many years. In my 
capacity as veterinary adviser to the Corporation I have inspected 
considerable quantities of mutton from ' fluked sheep,' pronounced 
it unfit for human food, and had it destroyed. Indeed, for some 
months untainted and first-class mutton has been at a premium. 
No cases of fluke in cattle have come under my inspection, nor 
yet in hares or rabbits, but my assistant, Mr. J. T. Phillips, 
M.R.C. V.S., tells me that hundreds of the latter died in his part 
of South Wales during the winter of 1879-80 from fluke. Many 
instances have come under my observation in which the disease 
has been confined to portions of a flock. My opinion as 
to the extension of the disease over lands formerly exempt is 
that it is due to want of drainage on those lands and the con- 
tinued wet, and consequent multiplication of slugs. No cases 
in unweaned animals have yet come under my notice. As 
Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery to the Wilts 
and Hants Agricultural College, I may mention that their 
flock of 1157, reflecting much credit on the management of 
Professor Wrightson and his assistant, Mr. Hutton, has been 
peculiarly exempt from fluke, only one case having come to my 
knowledge. The fact of the College lands being chalk, capped 
with gravel, and the sheep pastures being on very high ground, 
may account for this immunity." 
