AMONG SHEEP IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 553 
and affecting the flocks much in the same manner that it is 
known to do the human race, although to a more violent and 
fatal extent. 
The general symptoms are, increased secretion of mucus from 
the lining membranes of the nose and fauces ; swelling of the 
nostrils, inflammatory fever, constipation of the bowels, and, 
towards the latter stages of the disease, loss of vision, determina- 
tion to and congestion of the brain, the lungs, and some of the 
larger viscera. 
As precursory symptoms, it may be stated, that the animal 
when seized with the complaint exhibits a d illness and indispo- 
sition to feed, lingers behind the others in the flock, becomes 
chilled, the wool clapped, the nostrils humid and hot; sneezing 
is frequent at this stage, and constipation of the bowels is almost 
invariably present. 
As the disease advances the symptoms first mentioned become 
more apparent; and if not subdued by early remedies, often 
prove fatal in thirty-six or forty-eight hours from the commence- 
ment of the attack. 
The symptoms immediately preceding death are blindness, 
vertigo, lying down and turning round of the body, or a wringing 
of the head, indicating determination of the disease to the brain. 
The principal diagnostic or distinguishing symptoms are, the 
swelling of the nasal passages, and discharge of an acrid fluid 
from them, at first thin and clear, but gradually becoming thicker 
and of a yellow colour. 
The prognosis may be deemed favourable whenever a very 
profuse discharge of the mucous secretion takes place, when the 
bowels become relaxed, and there is a return of appetite, with re- 
mission of fever: — unfavourable, on suppression of the secretion 
from the nose, continued costiveness, and the occasion of those 
symptoms which indicate determination to the head ; or of others 
(which ought to have been stated above as appearing when the 
determination happens to be especially to the chest), such as ob- 
structed respiration, wheezing cough, and extreme restlessness. 
For practical purposes, a more minute detail of symptoms 
might be given ; but the foregoing enumeration includes all that 
are important and generally met with. 
The remote cause (considering the disease to be the epidemic 
above stated), a specific contagion, or peculiar cause prevailing 
in the atmosphere, probably dependent on the extreme and 
sudden changes of temperature ; the weather throughout these 
districts, during the winter months, having been not only un- 
usually cold and dry, but exceedingly variable ; severe frosty 
nights and hot days, constantly alternating so as to effect a 
