EPIDEMIC VARIOLA IN SHEEP. 
21 
tendency to sphacelation rather than suppuration. The remainder 
gave evidence of the disease by the formation of pus in the in¬ 
cisions on the second, third and fourth da 3 7 s, so that several drops 
could be collected daily for some days, and those earliest affected 
throve the best. 
The appearances as enumerated lead to the conclusion that a 
typographical error occurs in Mr. Flagg’s work, which was re¬ 
cently perused, as it is there stated that an inoculated small-pox 
appears in two days, while that of contagion is delayed from fif¬ 
teen to thirty. Except pus found in the incisions of the former, 
in no instance was the disease made manifest before the eighth , 
tenth or twelfth day, nor did the eruption appear to form a crisis 
earlier; and many of the sheep ate, ruminated and nursed their 
lambs through the whole period of the disease, only two or three 
appearing at all ill, and only for as many days. As the result of 
contagion the disease was never delayed more than fifteen days 
before discovering itself by the usual symptoms, and, though in 
general the pustules of the distinct form were found thus early or 
earlier, the animals would remain ill fifteen or twenty days longer, 
and not appear wholly well or thriving for thirty or forty days 
more. 
It is singular that, no matter whether the disease was taken 
by inoculation or contagion, in no instance did a ewe cast her 
young, not even in the most virulent cases, confluent or purple. 
In two instances, where lambs were prematurely cast, both could 
be traced to incautious handling, they being gravid with triplets; 
neither did the disorder affect the supply of milk, unless the 
sheep had been reduced and run down previous to lambing. 
There was less disposition to the formation of fluid within the 
pustules than in the human subject. And the lambs, on handling, 
were found to perspire very freely beneath, especially in the 
vicinity of the groins, while the testicles were more or less swol¬ 
len. No opportunity was had of examining an old male, all under 
observation being ewes, in which no differences were discovered, 
whether nursing, gravid or barren. 
* *• # * * * * 
Apropos of the foregoing, which would seem to inculcate 
