500 DANGEROUS EFFECT OF SOOT ON THE GROUND. 
sided to its proper size, and, in two months from my first seeing 
her, she was perfectly cured, and afterwards got fat. I have at 
the present time two similar cases in incipient stages, and both 
attended with stertorous breathing. They are both doing well, 
and belong to valuable breeds. 
Query: Is this disease hereditary? I am inclined to think 
that it is. 
ON THE DANGEROUS EFFECT OF SOOT THICKLY 
SPREAD ON THE GROUND. 
By the same . 
Some little time ago I was sent for to make a post-mortem 
examination of some sheep. They were hogs in fair condition, 
and I was informed that they had been taken off turnips and 
turned on a field of luxuriant spring wheat. Ten were down — 
three dead — and seven paralyzed. The respiration was hurried 
— the ears and extremities cold — the pulse almost imperceptible 
— the bowels constipated — the faeces hard and dark-coloured — 
occasional struggling of the limbs, but no very evident pain. 
Sectio cadaveris , — The intestines were free from disease, and 
rather flaccid — the aliment dark-coloured and covered w 7 ith mucus. 
On examining the stomachs the rumen was found to be half full 
of dry impacted dark green food, studded over with small black 
specks, which on farther examination proved to be soot. The 
reticulum contained but little food. Its surface and papillae were 
covered with black specks, and what food it contained was very dry. 
The abomasum and its ingesta were much darker than is natural. 
Its villous coat had a slight inflammatory blush, and the mucous 
secretion was quite black. The other viscera were apparently 
healthy. I did not examine the brain or spine. 
On inquiry I found that these sheep had been turned on a field 
of spring wheat, which, only a short time before, had been ma- 
nured with soot ; and, no rain having fallen, or dew sufficient to 
enable the land or the vegetation to absorb this carbon, it had 
been taken up and swallowed by the sheep along with their food. 
The remainder of those that were paralysed were destroyed : 
but all the others, to the number of three or four score, had cathartic 
medicine given to them until their bowels were well acted upon. 
They were then fed on linseed cake, and ultimately did well. 
