The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-04-11
ROT IN SHEEP


II. Psnshsw Thinks that Some Of HI
Sheep are Affected with It
Brief mention was recently made II
the ISLANDER that sheep are not IN a
good condition In this county thi
spring as usual. In most cases cold
rainy weather, poor shelter and per
haps scanty feed have been the princi
pal causes of the conditions complained
of, but it Is the opinion of II. Pensha~
that many sheep, including his own
that have been pastured upon low, wei
ground are affected with the disease
known as rot. He has studied his floch
with reference to the symptoms of ro'
described in an English publication
which he has and seems convinced
that his, at least, are affected by it.
at is unfortunate that in the early
stages of rot the disease gives no ex
termal intimation of having commenced
It's destined fatal career; for 1t Is gener
orally at the beginning Of diseases that
human skill is most efhcaci0us in ar.
resting their progress. Sheep in the
early stages of the rot, however, instead
of showing symptoms of disease and
decay, acquire q great tendency to fat
ten. But after the disease has under.
mined the general health, the animal
becomes listless, and unwilling to move,
leaves its companions, and sinks rapid.
ly in flesh; its eye becomes sunk, dull
and CLASSY; the wool comes easily from
<h<, cki,,. tho hsno ~, l>ooor,As fofiA. 1,r,
bowels variable, atone tune loose, with
a black purging, and at another cOstive;
the skin becomes yellow, and some
times spotted with black; emaciation
now becomes more rapid; general fever
is induced, and death ensues. There
are various methods by which practical
men endeavor to ascertain the incipient
symptoms of the disease, but the two
following are the most general:
1.-THE first is, by handling the sheep
OH the small Of the back, and If the
flesh feel firm aud solid, the animal is
judged sound; but If the flesh feel
flabby and soft, and give cracking
sound when rubbed against the ribs,
the animal Is unsOund. The other
method is by examining the small
veins at the corners of the eyes, and il
filled with yellow serum instead Of
blood, the animal is pronounced I'M
sound; but the greatest practical tact
and talent will not always insure sue
cess In discovering the early stages Of
this insldiOus disease.
ut is not caused by scanty food, as
has often been alleged, for sheep may
be starved to death without producing
rot; the fact that the sheep has an ex-
tendency to acquire fat in
the early stages of the disease, shows
that the causes act as q stimulant at
first, and originate q slight degree Of
Inflammation in the liver, as the first
step In the progress of this fatal disease.
But the numerous and well-attested
facts now obtained from various chimes
and countries, lead. to the conclusion
that the nature of the soil and pastures
and the character Of the seasons are the
chief agents I'm causing rot. This view
Is confirmed by the fact that rot is most
prevalent i'm wet seasons and it Is
nearly confined to lands subject to be
flooded with water vt certain sea-
sons of the year and to soils naturally
moist and marshy. Moist and level
lands of retentive soil, and from which
water Is slowly evaporated by the sun,
and temperature favorable to the de-
of vegetable matter-on
such lands, when not thoroughly
rot may be said to be indigen-
Gus; while on lands that are dry and
the disease is unknown"