Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-08-05
"Doctoring" Sheep.

n correspondent VINO writes Ike
man OF intelligence, states that last year
he lost a number of sheep from Grub
in the head-that this year he has taken
lime by the forelock, and "tritd every
thing he could hear of, but without eff
feet" Among other things he has dosed
bis sheep, including breeding ewes, with
sulphur &c. What other cathartics,
anti-caIhartics, or what not, came within
his comprehensive everything, we are
not told.
Does our friend understand the chem
ical properties of all the supposed rene
dies he has resorted to? How did he
know that this or that drug-sulphur,
for example-administered internally,
would expel worm from the head,
which we venture to say would bear a.
i thorough application Of sulphur to itself
with as much impunity as a duck would
a scattering Of mud. Perhaps be has re-
sorted to other, and without being aware
of it, much more powerful AGENTS
There are usually but a very few such
which are applicable to peculiar d.
sease. The inapphcable ones can never
be beneficial, and are likely to be hurt
full. He then who doctors at random,
or because some one as ignorant as him
self has recommended this or that stands
more than a hundred chances 10 one toI
do an injury to his poor, mute, defence
less patient. We have no patience with
this :rihing with the lives of our valua-
BILE domestic animals. They were given
US for our use. We have a right to kill
them in a prompt and decent way, when
our needs require it. But we have no
right to murder them by inches and in
torture by our Internal nostrums and ig.
norant experiments.
The most ignorant is always tie most
presuming person in such cases. The
man Of large experience and knowledge
finds out that 'doctoring,' under the most
favorable auspices, for serious and con
stiutional maladies, is very uncertain 10
its results-that, usually, sheep which
are 'doctored' much, die. His opinions
therefore, are given without hesitation
But your ignorant BOBBY who knows no.
thing about the property of drugs, and
who never owned hundred sheep in his
lite, understands everything at a glance. i
He either had or saw Just such a case f
once'-and such aud such things were =
given-and the sheep SCOT well right
off," And some sensible men listen to
such nonsense
1t is not right to experiment in this !
blind and inconsiderate way with ami.
mails which are actually laboring under
serious disease, and which stand in need
of a proper remedy. What shall we say
of those iutermeddlers with nature who
drug animals in perfect health to prevent
some future anticipated Observation-Disclosures,
too, not particularly incidental to the To-
cality, like grub in the head? We have 5
owned a great many thousand sheep and
never lost but a very few where We con
jectured there was strong reason to be
lieve it was caused by grub. Yet we
never resorled to me !icine preventive
against it. The lesson we have drawn
from a long and large experience with p
sheep,
"Rather bear those ills we have d
Than fly to others that we know not Of" c
The whole doctrine Of medical proven a
tives, as commonly understood, Is based
on error. If in perfect health, can take S
anything which will prevent me from
catching a cold or contracting fever {
week afterwards, if | become exposed to
its exciting causes? If sw At will h
throw off a cold, will it, taken in ad.
vance, prevent cold The remedy a
for the sctual disease, so far from being
preventive of that disease, # taken in r
health, would often prove rather a pro-
vocation Of it, or of some other malady. a
Does some one ask "If l see nv
sheep perishing, and don't know what to $
do for them, shall | fold my hands and /
let them perish?' Now, is you do not
know what to do, and have no well in
formed, experienced and intelligent per,
son to tell you what to do, it is better to y
give healthy surroundings, cleanliness,
fresh air, good nursing, and then fold
your arms and wait for results In nine
teen cases out of twenty those results
will be less calamtons than they will be
if you fall to drugging and dosing. Lay
it down as the first and best rule of medi-
cal practice among sheep, that when you
do not know what TO do, do nothing at a
all. This is true of all animals, but es- c
pecially so Of the sheep, whose far weak