SHEEP-ROT. 
359 
symptoms; and that it is chiefly communicable by actual co¬ 
habitation. The recognition of these two facts has been em¬ 
bodied in the principle of prolonged segregation of all animals 
that have been exposed to intercourse with living sources of con¬ 
tagion. If it is found possible to carry out this principle 
effectually throughout the United Kingdom, it may be confi¬ 
dently anticipated that the prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia 
will gradually diminish until, as may be hoped, it may even¬ 
tually disappear. The realisation of this desirable result 
would, no doubt, tend to diminish the importance of the 
question of inoculation. So long, however, as outbreaks of 
pleuro-pneumonia still exist, the limitation of its areas of 
prevalence by restrictive regulations would, in my judgment, 
materially facilitate the application, within the areas so 
limited, of whatever other means of prevention might be 
found to be effectual for the diminution of the number of 
animals attacked. 
SHEEP-HOT. 
The Sanitary Record of March 21st, 1879, says that a 
somewhat exaggerated statement has found its way into the 
papers as to the prevalence of rot in certain recent importa¬ 
tions into Liverpool of Irish sheep. For instance, it has been 
represented that large consignments when landed (we quote 
from a morning journal) have been found " in the last stage of 
disease of the liver, and affected with dropsy.It is a pity 
the public should be alarmed with paragraphs of this descrip¬ 
tion. Still there can be no doubt that rot is at present more 
than usually rife among sheep received from Ireland. As 
regards those arriving at Liverpool, we have been at some 
pains to ascertain the actual facts. 
These are as follows:—From 1000 to 1200 Irish sheep 
are being slaughtered weekly in Liverpool, and very few of 
them are perfectly sound, the greater portion being more or 
less affected with rot. But so far are they from being “in 
the last stage of disease of the liver,” that all except a small 
percentage are passed as wholesome. In the majority of cases 
only a portion of the liver is affected, and the meat has a 
healthy look, and “ is free from dropsy ” The number of 
animals in which the liver has been found to be much 
diseased and the carcase oedematous, and which had con¬ 
sequently been condemned and destroyed, during the first 
eleven weeks of the year, is 325. Out of these 153 have 
