259 
ENDEMIC DISEASE BREAKING OUT AMONG LAMBS. 
To the Editor of u The Veterinarian 
Sir,—Should you deem the following account worthy of a 
page in your valuable Journal, it is quite at your disposal. 
I am, Sir, 
Your’s obediently, 
V.S. 
A DISEASE has lately broke out amongst the young lambs of 
the flock of one of my employers. It is an affection of the 
joints of the extremities. The complaint first made its appear¬ 
ance about a fortnight after the commencement of the lambing 
season. When my attention was first directed to them, two or 
three lambs only were attacked. One of these died. Next 
day, two others shewed symptoms of the disease, and, shortly 
afterwards, several more became affected simultaneously; others 
continuing to fall almost daily. The earliest symptom observed 
is lameness in one or more limbs, which soon becomes consider¬ 
ably aggravated, accompanied by swelling of the joints affected, 
commonly of the knees and hocks : these joints generally being 
attacked first. In some cases, the lameness is confined to one 
leg ; in others, two are affected; in others, three ; and in some, 
all four of the extremities become diseased. In the worst cases 
the poor little animal is continually lying down, being totally 
incapable of bearing any weight upon its limbs, and evidently 
suffers much pain, there being manifest constitutional derange¬ 
ment. They will continue lying in this state sometimes for days, 
supported by drenching with milk. In the latter stages, respira¬ 
tion becomes laboured and difficult, a grunt being emitted at each 
expiration ; pulsation is also accelerated ; while death soon ends 
their sufferings. In some, catarrhal symptoms are observed, 
such as discharge from the eyes and nose, &c. The enlarge¬ 
ments are situate, for the most part, at the front of the knee 
and inner side of the hock joints, and in some cases attain great 
size : they are elastic and puffy to the feel, and evidently contain 
fluid. The fetlocks seem to be the least disposed to become 
affected, one case only occurring in which this joint was dis¬ 
eased, and that one recovered. The disease is not confined 
exclusively to the joints; for in a few instances it has extended 
to the muscles of the arm and thigh, &c. 
This malady does not yield much to treatment. In the first 
instance, a dose of the ol. ricini, combined with a carminative, 
was generally administered, with stimulating applications to the 
affected joints ; but this was productive of little benefit. Col- 
chicum, &c. was tried, all without any good effect however, 
