192 
Report on Liver-Rot, 
mineral districts of Merthyr Tydvil, Aberdare, and Pontypridd, 
the disease has not, however, been so widespread. 
Mr. George Hopkins, The Hayes, Cardiff", reports : — " I have 
killed on an average 30 English sheep weekly for more than 
twelve months, and have not had five livers a week fit for sale : 
some of the livers were so enlarged as to weigh 8 pounds. I 
attribute the disease to excessive wet weather, and the animal 
endeavouring to nourish itself with watery grass. I bought in 
January of this year 50 ewes heavy in lamb, looking healthy 
and fat. They lambed in February, were fed on roots, hay, and 
crushed oats. In spite of this they fell off day by day, and in 
March commenced dying, and now at the end of May I have 
five left. The lambs from all these fattened fairly well, and 
have now been killed off, viz., 62 in number ; but every one of 
the said Iambs were touched in the livers ; the older they got, 
the worse the livers were. My opinion is that a rotten-livered 
sheep gradually gets worse, and if suspected, should be killed at 
once to save further loss. I have tried dry food, green food, 
rock-salt, once a week in troughs ; but there is no cure. I have 
also sold American carcasses of mutton weekly for twelve 
months, and, judging from their general appearance, and in 
particular the fat on the kidneys, I have never seen anything 
approaching a rotten sheep ; therefore I would suggest the 
restrictions now imposed on American live sheep should be 
removed, in order that we might import them alive and breed 
from them next September. If some such plan is not adopted I 
firmly believe in two years we shall scarcely have a sound sheep 
in the United Kingdom." Jenkin Jones, Highlight, Cardiff', 
believes that the heavy summer rainfall leads to rot. His land 
is not very favourable for sheep ; he has been in the habit of 
changing them every year, and until November, 1879, escaped 
losses. The hardy mountain sheep purchased annually from 
the same source were bought as usual in September ; in little 
more than six weeks they began to fail ; many were soon dying ; 
62 were totally lost, 71 realized 10s. each. 
Mr. Charles Moir, M.R.C.V.S., Cardiff", remarks that there 
is scarcely an owner of sheep in the district who has not 
suffered greatly. He added, in the neighbourhood of Llan- 
carfan, I am told the disease has attacked sheep in the marshes 
where it was never known before, and in Rumney district 
nearly every sheep has gone. 31r. Tinker, Cornenwell, Penarth, 
has had the disease amongst his young cattle, which died 
perfectly anaemic — in two examined the livers were hard and 
full of flukes. The survivors, treated with iron tonics and 
liberal diet, under this treatment improved. They lived in sheds 
all the winter, and were fed on hay and cake without roots. 
