Diseases  of  Cattle  and  Sheep. 
555 
to  markets  .and  fairs  on  the  very  first  outbreak  on  their  premises; 
and  it  is  obvious  from  its  peculiar  incubating  character — the  first 
symptoms  not  making  their  appearance  until  seven,  and  in  some 
cases  fourteen  days  after  the  period  of  infection — that  it  could  be 
conveyed  long  distances  during  the  formative  stage. 
On  the  outbreak  of  an  infectious  disease  on  a farm,  the  very 
first  thing  to  be  attended  to  is  the  removal  of  the  infected  beasts 
to  some  suitable  place  far  from  the  other  cattle,  where  they  can 
be  watched  and  medical  aid  provided  without  endangering  the 
remainder,  which  also  should  be  carefully  and  daily  inspected. 
I cannot  conclude  this  part  of  the  essay  without  urging  upon 
farmers  the  strong  necessity  of  judicious  feeding,  proper  drain- 
age, ventilation,  and  cleanliness  generally,  as  means  of  ren- 
dering their  cattle  impregnable  to  some  extent  against  infectious 
diseases.  A striking  proof  of  this  is  exhibited  in  the  well-known 
fact  that  the  high-bred  cattle  generally  of  England  have  been 
comparatively  exempt  from  pleuro-pneumonia  ; the  reason  of  which 
is  sufficiently  obvious — because  more  attention  has  been  paid  to 
their  health  and  general  comfort  in  every  way. 
With  respect  to  the  sheep-pox,  it  should  be  understood  that  this 
is  a disease  of  such  a virulent  character,  that  it  has  been  commu- 
nicated through  the  medium  of  the  atmosphere  at  a distance  of 
200  and  300  yards.*  Thus  it  is  not  only  communicated  by  con- 
tact, but  by  diffusion  through  the  air. 
A daily  examination  of  the  whole  flock,  with  careful  separation 
of  the  infected  ones,  is  essentially  necessary  as  a precautionary 
means  of  preventing  the  spread  of  this  disease  ; and  when  it  is 
considered  that  the  infection  may  have  been  introduced  into  the 
flock  by  means  of  a single  sheep,  it  shows  the  necessity  as  well  as 
policy  of  the  practice. 
Inoculation  of  the  sound  sheep  is  also  indispensable!  as  a means 
of  preventing  its  destructive  ravages.  Professor  Simonds,  of  the 
Royal  Veterinary  College,  one  of  the  best  English  authorities,  + 
recommends  inoculation  as  the  safest  and  surest  plan  of  lessen- 
ing the  mortality — the  deaths  from  natural  causes  averaging  50  per 
cent.,  whilst  in  the  very  worst  cases  of  inoculation  the  deaths  do 
not  amount  to  more  than  6 or  8 per  cent. 
5.  Carelessness  on  the  part  of  shepherds  and  feeders 
occasions  many  diseases  incidental  to  sheep  and  cattle.  First, 
* Delaford. 
f The  operation,  however,  is  more  difficult  than  with  cow-pox  ; and,  of  course,  a 
great  amount  of  contagion  must  already  exist  around  the  farmer  before  he  would  have 
recourse  to  so  extreme  a remedy. — Ph.  P„ 
J A very  interesting  and  scientific  treatise  on  the  Sheep-pox  has  been  published  by 
Professor  Simonds,  which  should  he  in  the  possession  of  every  person  having  anything 
whatever  to  do  with  the  diseases  of  sheep. 
