490 DISEASE OF THE EYES OF BREEDING EWES. 
west border of Staffordshire was attacked in March by a 
severe disease of the eyes. The breeding flock consisted of 
186 ewes, mostly young ones. 
The disease first showed itself when the lambing season 
was about half over, amongst the young ewes, the older ewes 
having by this time yeaned and “got away.” 
The previous winter treatment of the ewes was as follows: 
On December 5th, 1878, 120 were sent to a farm three 
miles distant to pasture on some old grass land : about this 
time there was much frost and snow which prevented them 
getting at the grass, and to make up for this they had plenty 
of good hay given them from December 28rd until the 16th 
of the following January, when they were brought home to 
all appearances in good condition. Some of the ewes did 
not go to this farm in consequence of lameness, and they were 
supplied with turnips and hay. Throughout the remaining 
part of January and the whole of February, hay was given, 
and at the commencement of March a few turnips also. 
About the middle of March an affection of the eyes was 
noticed. The ewes could not find their way out of the 
lambing yard, where they were nightly housed. They appeared 
to be suffering great pain, the secretion of milk was sus¬ 
pended, and for a time they ceased to ruminate. A 
M.R.C.V.S. was called in, and directed that the animals 
should be blistered around the orbit, an operation which was 
performed by the shepherd. The animals were not kept in 
darkened sheds, and no medicine was given. 
The ewes which lambed while suffering from the malady 
are said to have dropped their lambs blind, and large numbers 
of them perished from the ewes laying upon them. More 
than 100 lambs suffered, and of these 80 have died. 
The eyes of about 50 ewes have been affected, and the 
greater part of them have recovered their sight and condi¬ 
tion ; but slight opacity of the cornea and frequent nictation 
are still noticeable. 
A few ewes which were suffering from the complaint 
were put with some feeding tegs; some of the latter became 
slightly affected. 
Lambs born of healthy ewes were not affected. The con¬ 
stitutional disturbance passed off in about a fortnight. 
The farm stands high and dry—gravelly soil—with an 
aspect somewhat easterly. The ewes have all been bred upon 
the farm. The stamina of the flock is yearly attended to 
by the introduction of well-bred rams. Some barren ewes 
were affected but slightly. When they were first attacked 
a most piercing east wind prevailed, and continued from the 
