The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-05-26

Written for the American Stock Jourlsil
DISEASES OF SHEEP.

- - ~ az OAACONo
of st. Johns wort, and to seine other
eauses. 1t Is cured by the applica-
ton of sulphur ointment, consisting of
sulphur and lard.
Swelled and sore lips more frequent
ly appear about the opening of winter,
but the causes are unknown. Sulphur
ointment, mixed with a little tar, is q
very e~ficaceous remedy.
Sheep are often troubled with oph-
thalmia. This disease is characterized
by redness of the eye and the parts
about It, intolerance of light, and a
low of tears. Battle the eye OCCASION.
ally in warm water, and with q solu-
tion of sulphate of zinc, combined with
tincturs of opium Tad OH
Sheep are liable to have grubi in the
head in the latter part of summer.
Among farmers this is the name given
TO various different diseases. The
gad-hy of sheep deposit its eggs in
their iostrils in the months of July
and August and these immediately
Matched by the warmth and moisture,
the Larvae or young grubs c~rawlinto
the cavities of the head, and attach
themselves to the membraneous lin
ings. They remain there until the en-
suing spring, when they become thick,
plump CRIBS, more than an inch long
They then descend from the head,
drop on the ground, burrow into it,
take the form of a chrysalis, and at
the ~propSfJtime again hatch forth CAD
flies. Their effect on the sheep, is a
matter of considerable dispute, some
eminent veterinary writer's considering
them entirely harmless Others, ard
q much greater number, believe that
the irritation they occasion produces
disease and death. If the sheep be-
gin to fall off in condition a little be-
fore spring, though previously in good
flesh, and their feed kept fully up if
they wander around with movements
indicative of pain in the head, and
discharge mucus, tinged. with blood,
from the nose, though oppressed with
no catarrhal difficulty, it may be sus-
peeted that they are suffering under
the effects of grub in the head. Some
persons have blown tobacco smoke up
their nostrils from tail of a pipe, the
bowl being covered with a cloth, it is
asserted with good effect. Others
have infected tobacco water with a sy-
ringe, but this must be prevented from
entering the throat In an considerable
quantity.
Locked jaw. This has sometimes
been producedby cording rams. When
discovered, remedial measures are
generally too late, and it should be
prevented, if possible, by more care
full cording.
DISTRACTIONS of the outlet. Sheep
sometimes get a piece of tuInip or
other substances lodged in TIE esoph-
agus or gullet. If it cannotb be moved
by the fingers, set the sheep on its
Iump, holding its nose upward, pour
some oil IN the throat, and then insert
q small flexible probang, and very
push the obstucting substance
into the stomach. The probang, in
the absence of a gutta-peTGhhss Gie,
should be of strong, flexible wood, like
elm, made smooth and round, and
fve-sixteenths of an inch, or a little
In diameter. A small bag of
fax-seed should be firmly secured to
and cover the lower end and on dip
ping the rod in the hot water, to linn
Der it for use, the bag viii become
soft and slippery, 10 as to protect the
from laceration. IF no
Hax-seed is at hand, carefully wind
the lower end of the probang with tow
and dipNi it in oil.
Hoove. If sheep become swollen
from being turned on fresh clover, or
the like, they should be driven gent
for an hour. IT swollen to a dan
gerous degree. and the distress and op-
preston are rapidly Increasing, a tro-
ear, or, in its absence, a pocket-knife,
must be plunged into the left flank,
half way between the haunch and ribs,
and well up towards the backbone, so
that the pent-up gas will escape thro'
the orifce. An ounce or two of Ep-
som salts are generally administered
after an attack of hoove. If the gas
continues to form in the stomach, give
a drahm of chloide of lime dissolved
in n gill of water.
Poisons. The narrow-leafed or low
(kdkmia GngustJoha,) and the
broad leafed laurel or ftcalico bush" or
spoonwood," (kaAmia latyola, are eat
en- by sheep, particularly when they
are hungry from travelling, and find
these bushes grown by the roadsides.
. strong decotion, made by boiling
the bruised twigs of white ash for an
hour, administered in doses of half a
gill or a gill, and repeated after an in
terval if necessary, is believed to be
an effectual antidote by persons who
Fave tried it. Drenches of milk and
castor OIL are also said to have been
successfully resorted to. Injecting
warm water into the stomach and
pumping il out again, and continuing
this until vomiting is produced or the
thoroughly diluted, using a
common India-rubber stomach-pump,
4. e., hollow ball with a perforated tube
attached, would be highly useful in
all cases of poison, by whatever pro-
This should be followed up
by active aperient medicine. Other
plants besides laurel are suspected of
poisoning sheep. but very little accu-
information has yet been obtain
ed regarding them.
Diarrhea. Common diarrhea or
scours, not attended with constitution
al disease, generally requires no RENE
dies. If ~protracted, two or three
days confinement to dry feed, or an
ounce ofprepared chalk given in half
pint of tepid milk, Will usually put a