The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-01-26
DISEASES OF SHEEP.
Interesting Conference Among
Wool Growers at Cadiz Ohio, ON

PfeAident OF the ASSOCIATION, MT' James
B. Jamison, who stated that at u recent
meeting the Association had decided TO
hold monthly meetings for the considera-
tion OF the interests OF the wool growers
Of Harrison county, and thUt the partic-
ular subject for the consideration OF the
meeting today was the diseases Of sheep.
DR.. Kent, Of Green township, was called
upon 10 introduce the discussion OF the
day. The Doctor said his understanding
had been that the disease known as paper.
skin" was to be the chief topic for this
occasion, and consequently what he had
10 say would be on that subject.
Without giving the Doctors remarks
in detail, his theory was that "paper.skin'
ia a disease first affecting the liver and
aiterward the lungs that it is contracted
in the fall OF the year, from drinking stag.
naut water ; that the atagnant water may
be obtained from sluggish streams, or, In
some cases from small pools on level
ground after u rain, especially II followed
by hot weather ; and that the remedy,
where medicine ia TO be given, Is a bitter
tonic 10 act on the liver. The Doctor de.
scribed the disease a. affecting the liver
ever TO disorganization and decay, and
that the lungs Of the diseased sheep will
be found, after death, TO contain large
numbers OF fine hair.like worms from two
TO six inches in length.
Mr.. James B. Jamison said that in Ger.
many as a remedy for paper,skin they
steam the flock with sulphur, and that sui.
phur was used largely in that country as
q prevention OF diseases among sheep in
general. He said that paper.skin attacks
lambs only, as a general rule, and
troubles sheep over u year old but little.
Mr.. s. S. Campbell had given his opin-
inn at some length at a previous meet
ing TO the effect that "paper.skin was
the result Of improper care Of lambs in
general, especially the want Of proper
food and shelter, and that lambs properly
cared for never suffered from the disease.
This had beeE Mr.. Campbell's personal
experience in the matter, and his views
we're evidently shared by a large number
Of gentlemen both at the former meeting
and on the present occasion. DR.. Kents
theory Of a liver disease, contracted from
drinking impure water, was, OF course,
entirely different, and naturally excited a
good deal OF interest. Mr.. Campbell on
The present occasion didn't argue his side
Of the question, but contented himself by
asking, in a manner that ELECTED some
mirth, how many worms We should expect
to find in an average lamb.
To this Mr.. H. s. Black, ofGreen town.
ship, replied, hat the worms will be
found all through the lungs. Mr.. Black
conceded with DR.. Kent's theory, and
said that as a remedy for the disease he
had fed with powdered iodine Of iron,
which had proved successful.
Mr.. W. B. Law OF North township, gave
kis experience in the "paper.skin' bust.
ness. Out of 40 good lambs, on a Ger.
tain occasion, So had died with the
disease, They had been well cared for
and had had access constantly TO pure,
running water. He thought that some
other cause than stagnant water must be
assigned.
MI. james B. Jamison gave his expe-
rience. The disease had got into his
flock twice. He had pastured his lambs
in a field where there was some stagnant
water, but had never heard that assigned
as a cause until to-day. His experience
would corroborate DR.. Kentis theory. MIR.
Jamison quoted Secretary Klippart as
holding that the disease comes from
something eaten in the fields.
Hr. Henry Boyles related his expert
enee. His rule was TO feed his lambs
well and take the best Of care Of them.
On one occasion, some years ago, seeing
that his neighbors were not 80 particular
a he had been, he concluded to try their
plan one year. He let his lambs run on
good grass, without other feed until fall.
In the winter he put them up and fed
them, but out Of a flock Of ~ he lost SO.
They got the paper-skin from want Of
care through the summer, and had not
enough vitality left 10 carry them through
the winter. Mr.. Boyles spoke OF the
unusual prevalence OF the disease during
the past few years, and concluded that
something else than stagnant water must
be the cause.
MI. Law asked the question whether,
II sheep had access to good, pure water,
they would drink stagnant water, and
also would not the slime effect be pro.
duced from the same cause every year3
To these questions DR.. Kent replied,
1st, that II was the nature OF n sheep TO
drink from a puddle, or from any still
water, rather than from arunnlng stream,
and I'd, that there was a difference in
years, and that a wet spell followed by
very hot weather would make impure
pools Of water sometimes on level ground.
Mr.. Albert Quigley gave his expert.
ence to the effect that he pastured his
lambs regularly in a field where there
was a swamp, wild grass, &C., but that he
had never been troubled with the disease
10 the least extent. This raised a laugh
on the one side, and the stagnant water
theory was evidently getting the worst oil
the argument. But DR.. Kent retorted that
Quigley took as good care Of his sheep as
he did OF his children, and it was hardly
possible for them to take any disease.
Mr.. Campbell said that possibly he was
wrong in his theory at the last meeting,
but his way OF managing had always pre-.
vented the disease so far as his sheep were
concerned, and he had seen so much Of
poor care and bad management that he
had almost concluded that nothing else
was the matter. He suggested that the
worms spoken Of must get into the stom-
ach first, and perhaps he had always
killed them, before they went any further,
by feeding salt and ashes. He said In
conclusion that We ought not to have any
sloughsa and stagnant water on our farms.
That could be prevented.
Mr.. George CLANCY remarked that in
early times when wool was % cents,
when there was no feeding, no housing,
and but little care Of sheep In general,
the disease was unknown. Now since
there Ia good drainage, shelter, feed and
care, disease Ia on the increase. His
theory Of the trouble was that there were
too many aheep, they are housed up too
closely, and receive too much care, and
he gave practical examples from his own
experience TO prove his propositions.
Mr.. Alex. Mcfarland, Of Athens town.
ship, questioned whether "paper.skin "
anda ilyer.rotn we're the same disease, "a
seemed to be taken for granted in the
discussion. he agreed in the main with
Or. Kent's theory, and related some ex.
perienee that accorded with II, he did
not think, like Mr.. CLANCY, that any
harm came from having a good many
sheep In one house. He had never found
anv difinnlty from that, Mi, McFar.