MALIGNANT DISEASE AMONG SLEEP.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue I, 14 November 1862, Page 4

MALIGNANT DISEASE AMONG SLEEP.

(From ta Times.) It is impossible V. ...words to describe fully the excitemenWhich has for tbe last few days prevail** J n Wiltshire and the upper parts' of Hartpshire, in the agricultural classes, in co\sequence of the breaking out of a-inalign\nt disease in one of the largest breedingflodss in the West of England— in -a flock, to», that has, for the last 50 years, been regarded as one of the most healthy flocks upori\he Becking- ' ham Downs. The facts in brhf are these : — It is now about a month ag> lhat Mr. Joseph Parry, of Allihgton, Vas riding alongside one of his folds, containing about 300 two-year-old ewes, when heobserved one of the ewes lying by the hurdes. The animal looked in a pitiable conditpn, soon breathed its last, and was put oul of the way, and for the time nothing mire was thought of the occurrence. But, ita day or two after, other sheep in the sanii flock showed symptoms of illness, exhbiting great internal suffering, loss of apptite, heaviness and indisposition to movej and general prostration. The two-yeatold ewes had, up to this time, been kept yith their lambs, but, thinking it better to separate them, the latter were now removed and put with other lambs upon tie farm, the former being turned among tie general breeding flock, making altogethtr 1000 ewes and 700 lambs The nature tf the attack upon the two year-old ewe, surpassed all comprehension. That it wa9 eminently contagious was certain. In the course of a fortnight the same symptoms began to show themselves among the older ewes and among the lambs, and for days in succession as many as twenty or thirty of the ewes died in the most loathsome state of disease, their bodies covered with pustules and a viscous matter running from the nose and from the eyes, rendering the sheep completely blind, and emitting the most foul stench that can be conceived. All local remedies were entirely unavailing. The malady was a mystery, and it became necessary that the hest possible advice should be had, and that, too, without delay. Mr. Joseph Parry went to London last week to consult Professor Simonds, the well-known lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College. After hearing Mr. Parry's explanation of the symptoms, Professor Simonds came immediately to the conclusion that the disease from which the sheep were suffering was smallpox ; but as smallpox has never been known to make it appearance except through infec tion — as, wherever it has appeared, its origin and propagation have always been traceable— its introduction into Mr Parry's flock was perfectly unaccountable. Upon examining the flock on Saturday and Monday, and again on Tuesday, Professor Simonds found that a great number of the sheep had already passed through the most trj'ing part of the malady, while some (as many as 170) were declared by him to be perfectly convalescent. This being the case, it is impossible to say how long the disease has actually impregnated the flock ; but to reduce its continuance to a certainty, and as the most effectual means of preserving those that have not already been attacked, Professor Simonds suggested that the whole of the sheep should at once be inoculated ; and having placed the case entirely in the hands of the Professor, Mr. Parry assented to this proposition, and the whole flock of 1700 sheep and lambs (exclusive of those which have died and those which have recovered) are accordingly at this moment either in an incipient or a malignant slate of smallpox. Adding misfortune to misfortune, the old shepherd, who had tended the flock for the last 30 years, dropped down dead among his sheep last Thursday evening. Proud of his flock, which had alwaj's borne a high character, and reflected credit upon his management, the poor man seemed to feel the visitation most acutely ; and there is no doubt that the anxiety under which he had been labouring for the previous month, acting upon a diseased heart, tended to bring about his melancholy end. He was endeavouring to catch one of the sheep on Thursday evening, when he fell, with the animal under him, and almost instantly expired.