246 
THE VETERINARIAN, APRIL 1, 1880. 
Ne quid falsi dicere audeat, ne quid veri non audeat.—ClCEBO. 
LOSSES FROM SHEEP ROT. 
There is no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that 
the losses from rot among sheep, during the last few months 
have been enormous. But beyond the occasional state¬ 
ments by individuals of the number of sheep in a flock 
which have fallen victims to the disease, we have no records 
from which an estimate could be made. 
In the outbreak of the year 1830, some returns were 
collected, and the flock owners of that time were enabled to 
form an idea of the magnitude of the mischief; but since then 
there are not, so far as we can find, any figures to guide us. 
Returns of losses from rot might be obtained through 
some of the channels which are at present open. Local 
authorities under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, are 
quite familiar with the means of collecting such evidence, 
and the various executive committees could without much 
extra trouble obtain from their inspectors, or from the 
farmers in their districts, information which when classified 
would be sufficient to allow of an estimate not far from the 
truth being made, of the injury which has been done 
by this disease, in comparison with that done by other 
maladies which are usually looked upon as matters ot 
importance to the collector of statistics. The agricultural 
returns on the other hand, might contain a column having 
reference to the point. In short, the thing might be done 
if it were any one’s business to do it, but as the malady is not 
contagious or infectious within the meaning of the Act relating 
to animals, no steps have been taken to get the particulars 
Apart from the interest which would attach to a return 
of the losses which have been sustained recently from 
rot, there would arise a successful and great advantage 
to the farmer, whose attention would be attracted to the 
subject in its most practical aspect. We are often told that 
