416 
CATTLE PATHOLOGY. 
sheep, as they, when left to roam in the natural state, con- 
sume large quantities of bitter herbs, many of which are 
anthelmintics. Parasites on the skin are also common in 
constitutional habits of this kind, and therefore a similar 
course of prevention should be adopted in time. 
Special notice is also drawn to urinary calculi, generally of 
the calcareous and phosphatic kinds, in sheep, attributed to 
too nitrogenous a diet. 
There is yet too much diversity of opinion as to the cause 
of calculous deposits of this nature, to hazard a conclusion as 
to what kind of diet should be used to prevent them. The 
more sound philosophy appears to be that they are the result 
of disease, most probably, of the absorbent and secretionary 
functions, for in themselves they cannot be a disease, nor the 
cause of injury to the kidneys, ureter, bladder, or urethra, 
until once they exist. Such being the case, we have to pre- 
scribe a diet calculated to promote the healthy action of these 
functions, and this is more likely to be accomplished by the 
exhibition of bitter tonics, with diuretics when required, than 
a less quantity of nitrogen in the food. 
During the discussion which followed the reading of the 
report, the chairman, Mr. Miles, M.P., drew the attention of 
the Council to consumption and oestrus ovis (if we under- 
stood him aright), as being very prevalent in several flocks 
this year. 
Consumption or phthisis is an hereditary disease ; and 
whenever it assumes this type, the best plan is to change the 
breed without delay. 
Pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs, when accom- 
panied with a scrofulous habit, frequently terminates in 
phthisis, sometimes with a slow, incipient, lingering action, 
but more frequently the very reverse, carrying off its victim 
in an incredibly short time. 
Scrofula being an hereditary disease, the same rule applies 
to this case as the last — a change of breed. 
The bot in the frontal sinuses of the head of sheep is not, 
strictly speaking, a disease, but it may or may not be the 
cause of one ; while, on the contrary, it may even prevent 
disease. 
In illustration of this apparent anomaly, we have first to 
observe that this bot is the larva of the oestrus ovis ; that the 
frontal sinuses of the sheep are their natural winter quarters, 
and that they thrive here, feeding on the mucus secreted 
from the membrane to which they attach themselves, without 
doing any apparent harm, from the time they enter to April 
and May of the following year. In crawling up and down 
