218 
CONSULTATION RESPECTING SHEEP. 
opinion, especially as I find from my friend Mr. , of this 
town, that you are about to publish on the diseases of sheep. 
He saw two or three of the sheep this morning, and can therefore 
better describe to you the symptoms. 
Symptoms as described by Mr. . 
Pulse very quick and hard; breathing difficult; countenance 
dull; the head in a declining position, with the nose forced against 
the ground ; bowels more than usually constipated ; the mem- 
branes of the eyes and nose red ; low and short cough ; almost 
always lying down ; when moved, indicating much pain, and 
making a grunting noise. In one of the sheep there was a dis- 
charge streaked with blood from the nose. 
EXTRACT FROM REPLY. 
My dear Sir, 
*###*# 
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Do you not see at a glance the whole history and mys- 
tery of the matter? Your friend is an ardent admirer of the 
Leicester breed of sheep : I can forgive him that. He has 
fully developed that propensity to accumulate flesh and fat which 
is the distinguishing, the invaluable property of that breed : 
but he is not satisfied with developing this so far as it is neces- 
sary for any useful purpose ; he must outdo all his neighbours. 
He must urge his flock on to that condition in which, indeed, 
they look beautiful to the eye, and add, I have always maintained 
undeservedly add, to the reputation of the breeder; but in which 
he forgets, or is not aware that he places them in a state of dan- 
gerous plethora, where there is but a step between them and 
death. There needs but a little increase of nutritious food — 
there needs perhaps but the addition of a quarter of a mile’s 
walk — there needs but some unknown atmospheric agency to de- 
range the labouring circulation, and the weak point is found out 
in a moment. The blood is determined to or congested in the head, 
or the lungs, or the pleura, or the peritoneum, and the animal 
dies without the possibility of reprieve. 
“ No,” says your friend, I do not do this either.” Yes, he 
does, and too often ; and then he attributes it to the very conve- 
nient term Inflammation. There is scarcely a year that at the 
Smithfield prize-show [ do not hear a dozen farmers, at least, com- 
plain that they have not been able to compete in this sweepstake, 
or for that prize, because they have lost many sheep from 
