The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-05-29
New Disease Among Sheep.

The Practical Farmer for May contain
an article copied from the Middletowr
Comm Sentinel, stating that
"H. l.. Stewart, of Middle Haddam
had lost all his best sheep by diseas,
that is new in this country. The last O
his flock, lamb, died last week. Mr.
Stewart had expended considerable none,
in importing improved sheep from Eug
land. DIR. Cressy, the state Veterinary
Surgeon, made post mortem examina
tion of one of Mr.. Stewards sheep, and
found parasite literally consuming the
lungs. This parasite is known as the
'Strongylus GIaria, or Round Thread
Worm. 1t has long been known in Eng
land, but not in this country. This is
the first case brought to DR.. Cressy's at
teution and no mention of its being known
in the United States is made in any of
the books or reports. The worm, when
full grown, is two or three inches in
length aud about as large as No 20 cot
ton thread. 1t FIRST attacks the lungs and
then spreads to the bowels and intestines,
but as yet none have been found in the
flesh 1t increases its kind very rapidly,
there being from five to ten thousand liv-
ing embryo in each mother worm We
had the pleasure of examining, under the
mscroscope of the embryo in all states of
development, magnifed twenty thousand
times. 1t was startling sight. Mr..
Stewart has lost 35 by this insidious aud
destructive worm during the past two
years, and some other cases have occurred
in the sheep of his neighbors that were
pastured with his. We also learn that
similar cases have occurred in Hartford
county. As most of the sheep affected
were imported, it is quite certain the
parasite was brought from England A
very simple remedy-turpentine
! extirpate this worm, so DO alarm need be
felt by sheep raiscrs aud lovers of mutton
DR.. Cressy is giving the subject his at
tention, and the disease to any extent
need not be feared. Mr. S describes the
! symptoms and course of the disease very
clearly, as follows Sheep run a little
at the nose; cough by spells, and when
doing it draw themselves up together !;
stand with head down to the ground, feet
near together and back arched have a
loose state of the bowels in the last stage
of the disease sheep grow very poor and
weak, often falling as they walk and hav-
I~irg hard work to rise again. On opening
alter death, lungs are very small, pale in
color and covered with whitish spots on
the outside, the underside often coored
with purple spots the air tubes pale and
stiff, and fue thread like work found
in them worm nearly white the lungs
are speckled with gritty bunches of a
shell like character bowels covered with
numerous buuches of similar kind
regret exceedingly to learn of the mis-
fortune of Mr.. Stewart. La August, 1870,
| visited Middle Haddam and saw his
flock of Southdowns. He had one buck
| and three ewes, just i'm ported from Henry
Webb, England, which were as good sheep
as | ever saw. Previous to this importa-
ton, Mr.. S. had been breeding from
"Young SO" and "Vigor," bought at Tay
lor's sale in New Jersey, aud which were
in an adjoining lot. They were both
splendid bucks. Mr.. Stewart is also
quite an extensive breeder of Ayrshire
cattle.
The disease in some of the symptoms
described corresponds with the disease
that prevailed in this vicinity, last winter
and early in the spring, and also in Ches
ter county, Maryland, New Jersey aud
New York States. The symptoms which
noticed were slight running at the nose,
dullness, disinclination to move, stagger.
ing gait and loss of appetite. Sheep very
fat. | did not notice any cough (although
others in other places did,, bowls were
not loose, but coustipated, or standing in
bumped position. The post mortem ex
animation revealed the same small, pale
and apparently wasted condition of the
lungs. Did not notice any worms. l
cannot pronounce this disease the same
without farther examination, and we are
having no new cases that | can hear Of.
One word as to the remedy. The ac-
count states that turpentine is very sure
and simple remedy for the disease, but
presents no mode for its application. a
ueighbor of mine across the river, and
breeder of Southdowns, informed me
some time ago that he had preserved the
health Of his sheep during the past win
ter by the use Of turpentine, which he
sprinkled occasionally on the through,
where bis sheep fed, aud that it kept the
bowels from becoming constipated The
smell of it might perhaps be sufficient to
kill worms in the lungs. | should like
to hear from some of our Veterinary sur
geons on this point, whether inhaliDg the
tunes of turpentine would be sufficient
to destroy such parasites in the lungs. l
consider it worth trial As the disease
has been brought to this country by i'm
portation, breeders had better be cautious
in the selection of their bucks the COM
ing season.
Another disease has broken out among
the horses in different sections of the
|