Abstract Report on Rot in Sheep. 
125 
animal has been excited by being driven a short distance, that 
the vessels are tur(jid with pale or yellowish-coloured blood, and 
that the whole part has a peculiar moist or watery appearance. 
Later on, these vessels are blanched, and scarcely to be recog- 
nised, excepting perhaps one or two which present a similar 
watery condition. 
In addition to the symptoms thus named it will be found that 
the animal's appetite becomes fastidious. To-day it feeds 
pretty well ; to-morrow it will scarcely touch food of any de- 
scription. An increased thirst, however, is now present, and 
continues till the end. The animal is often going to the brook 
or pond, or, if prevented from doing this, will omit no oppor- 
tunity of drinking from the little hollows which exist on the 
surface of the field. Associated with the increased thirst is an 
irregular state of the bowels. For a few days together diarrhoea 
will be present, when it gives way to the ordinary condition of 
the faeces. A persistence of this variable state of the evacuations, 
when not traceable to a change of food, or other common causes, 
depends chiefly on an altered state of the bile, by which the fluid 
acts as an irritant to the mucous membrane of the intestines. 
As the disease advances to its fatal termination the animal's 
breathing becomes short and quick, and is occasionally accom- 
panied with a slight and nearly inaudible cough. Dropsical 
swellings come on in different parts of the body, especially 
around the throat and beneath the lower jaw. The accumulation 
of the effused fluid in this situation is to be referred in part to 
the pendant position of the head in feeding. There is no surer 
proof of approaching death than these swellings, for they indi- 
cate a dropsical condition of the entire system, and mainly of the 
subcutaneous tissue. The prostration of the vital powers day by 
day increases. The pulse becomes weak, wavering, and indis- 
tinct. The animal lies a good deal, refuses all food, is in a state 
of semi-stupor, and dies from pure exhaustion, as the consequence 
of general anaemia. 
Many remedies have been forced on the notice of agriculturists 
from time to time, both in this country and also on the Con- 
tinent, for the cure of rotten sheep — all of which have, however, 
signally failed in verifying the statements of their originators. 
At the commencement of the present century a remedy emanating 
from a Dutch source was loudly extolled, and even largely used 
in this country as well as in Holland, but it soon fell into dis- 
repute. No treatment of rot can be considered as being more 
than palliative ; still, in carrying this principle into practice, 
great benefit often arises, as the owners of infected animals are 
secured against losses which otherwise would be very heavv. 
The earlier the disease is detected the better ; but its discovery 
