P. N. NANDA AND GURBAX SINGH 277
Again, in the early part of the year 1939, three more ewes, Nos. 490, 812
and 330, started exhibiting a similar train of symptoms. Opportunity was
then taken to study the disease in greater detail and the progressive syndrome
was watched more carefully. The animals registered a gradual loss in body
weight and a restricted growth of wool and harshness of the coat. The loss in
condition continued till about the middle of June when after the first rain
little or no further deterioration in condition was noticed. During all this
period the appetite was normal. A peculiar feature not described by any
other worker was the appearance of œdematous swelling along the lower jaw
and the infundibular space. This swelling was well marked in the evening
when the flocks returned from grazing but was less distinct the next morning.
The symptom being a fairly characteristic feature of hæmonchosis two samples
of fæcal material were collected from each of the affected ewes for three conse-
cutive days and subjected to examination for the presence of eggs by the
floatation method. On each occasion, a few Hæmonchus eggs were noticed,
but the number was so small that it could not warrant the assumption that
these parasites were responsible for the condition under investigation. This
fact was supported by the findings of Taylor [1939].
The lambing season started on the farm in August and after lambing, the
emaciation in these three ewes advanced very rapidly and they were reduced
to mere skeletons with a well marked hide bound condition of the skin. A
persistent watery diarrhœa set in soiling the hind legs. The animal became
so unthrifty as to be unable to get up without help. The staple of fleece
remained very short. Contrary to the observations of Dunkin and Balfour
[1935] there was no loss of fleece, nor could it be pulled out readily as mentioned
by Howarth [1932]. The mucous membranes were pale and anæmic. The
temperature which shewed an occasional rise of one or two degrees in the
early stages was now normal or at times even subnormal. At this stage, one
of the ewes being very weak in condition, was accidentally left out overnight in
the grazing Bir and was killed by wild animals. Out of the other two ewes
No. 490 died on 20th September, 1939 and the other succumbed in the Farm
Veterinary Hospital on 17th October, 1939. Appetite was very little affected
even at this last stage.
POST-MORTEM FINDINGS
The post-mortem examinations were carried out just after death in both
the cases and the pathological changes were identical. The carcases on being
opened revealed a small amount (about 50 to 60 c.c.) of slightly yellowish
watery fluid in the abdominal cavity. Both the bodies were devoid of fat
and some fat reservoirs present contained a gelatinous semi-translucent gree-
nish yellow material. All organs were extremely anæmic. The gastric
mucous membrane showed nothing unusual in one case but was slightly
hyperæmic in the other. The intestinal walls particularly of the ileum were
thickened and pale. The mucosa of the bowel along its entire length was pale
grey and slimy and showed a variable degree of hyperæmia but there were no
corrugations characteristic of Johne's disease in cattle. On stripping, it was
easily peeled off. The mucous membrane of cæcum was highly congested.
The lymph vessels draining the bowel were distended and appeared like cords
running towards the mesenteric border. Along their course, there were small