ON SHEEP ROT. 
577 
than he was accustomed to do (as it flowed through the incision 
which I had made). I next administered (in the course of twenty- 
four hours) five ounces of sodse sulphas and a pint of castor oil—• 
the animal weighed about 125}fe—by which means his bowels 
were freely acted upon. In a week he went back to his pen per¬ 
fectly recovered in health, and afterwards did quite as well as the 
others. On turning him up, however, on the following week, I 
found that the appendix had rotted off, incapacitating the animal 
as a ram. Indeed, this vermiform process appears to be of so very 
delicate a texture that it will scarcely bear touching. 
Case II.—This was of a similar character. It occurred to a 
fellow-sheep, also fifteen months old, but a much finer animal. 
I found the symptoms exactly the same, and the obstruction in 
much the same situation. The shepherd had removed the stone 
before I arrived; but, much to his own disappointment, the urine 
flowed but a drop at a time, and these drops very slowly after 
each other. The same remedial means were had recourse to, but 
without success, for the animal became gradually worse, and it was 
thought advisable to kill him. 
Post-mortem examination .—The whole extent of the urethral 
canal was in a state of excessive inflammation, and the lining 
membrane so much thickened as to prevent the passing of the urine; 
the bladder was much distended; and it is very probable, if the 
animal had been suffered to live, that the disease would have ter¬ 
minated in rupture of that organ. The bladder was also nearly 
covered internally with patches of vivid inflammation, but no 
earthy matter was observed. On slitting the ureters, two or three 
small calculi were found in each, not much larger than a pin’s 
point. I am sorry to say that I had no opportunity of examining 
the kidneys. 
I am of opinion that if this last case had been subjected to earlier 
treatment the life of the animal might have been saved. I should 
have observed, that in every case that has occurred, concretions 
were found adhering to the hairs round the prepuce, like small 
beads, of the same character as the calculi taken from the urethra. 
On analyzing the stone and concretions, they wore found to con¬ 
sist of phosphate of lime. 
Sheep at grass do not appear to be subject to this complaint. 
Would not sorrel, or some acid, given them with their food, coun¬ 
teract the direful effects of the forcing system ? or would it not be 
wise for sheep-masters to give a dose of physic, previous to their 
sheep being put on high keep I A friend of mine gave half a score 
sodae sulph. I Ih, et sulphur ^iv, between them with good effect. 
d Ji 
VOL. XIll. 
