144 THE EPIDEMIC AND INFLUENZA AMONG SHEEP. 
arrival. While this flock of poor sheep was labouring under the 
influenza, another flock of fattened sheep, resident upon the same 
domain but kept quite distinct, commenced with all the charac- 
terized symptoms of the epidemic. 
The influenza evinced itself at first by a hoose or cough, and heavi- 
ness and running of the eyes and nose. As the disease advanced, 
they lost their appetite, retired apart from the flock, constantly lying 
down ; the bowels became constipated, and the breathing quick, 
and if not timely relieved by proper remedial means they soon died. 
I have understood that vast ravages were committed among the Lin- 
colnshire flocks, accompanied with great fatality : it must, I think, 
have been this disease, and which probably was treated upon the 
same principles as the epidemic of cattle ; if so, it would be sure 
to be attended with fatal consequences. On a post-mortem exa- 
mination, we found general inflammation throughout all the viscera 
of the chest and abdomen, but more particularly upon the lungs and 
air-passages ; the heart and pericardium w*ere in some cases much 
inflamed, accompanied with an effusion of bloody serum into the 
heart-bag ; in others, effusion of water or matter occurred in the 
cavities of the chest ; in some there were extensive adhesions of 
the lungs to the pleura lining the ribs ; in other cases the disease 
terminated in a gangrenous state of the lungs, the liver being also 
much implicated in the general mass of disease, and all the mucous 
membranes of the bowels being much inflamed. On taking the 
skin off the animal, there were erysipelatous patches and lines of 
inflammation running up the limbs, along the sides, and under the 
belly, accompanied with oedema or swelling, presenting just the 
appearance of what we find in calves that are struck. The caul, 
in some, was like a mass or layer of black coagulated blood, dif- 
fused over the surface of the intestines. In a few cases, the heart 
was much softened, and very flabby, readily accounting for the 
sudden manner in which some died. It was no unusual thing for 
the shepherd to leave his flock in the morning free, to appearance, 
from any immediate danger, and to find, on his return in the after- 
noon, two or three dead ; or, perhaps, he might be standing amongst 
his flock when first turned out in the morning to range the pastures, 
and suddenly his attention would be arrested by one or two of the 
sheep reeling and staggering along a few paces, and dropping down 
dead, no doubt from an affection of the heart. 
Treatment . — At first they were treated upon the same principle 
as the cattle and pigs; but the salts proved very injurious, and too 
cold, occasioning, in some instances, a metastasis, or change of 
attack on the part of the disease to the heart, followed by imme- 
diate death; or else, if purging took place, they sunk away rapidly; 
