My sheep were never sheltered, on account of thunder storms, and they did not suffer. Hail storms occur but seldom in Pennsylvania; it would certainly be well to put sheep under cover in a hail storm, for their eyes might be put out, and the lambs killed, if the stones were large; but to suppose that the hail-moisture or rain that falls in a thunder-storm are specifically injurious, is like the prejudice about dew, absurd. I never used any salt for my sheep except white salt, and this was given them when convenient, generally once a week throughout the year, some times in the field, and at other times in the sheep house. The red salt mentioned, is as hard as a stone, and derives its hue from iron; and there is no reason for supposing that it possesses superior medicinal qualities.

Fifth. I deny positively, that Merinos are particularly liable to the scab, when properly treated. I have never had the scab in my flock. The Merinos imported into the United States during the past year have been much afflicted by it, owing to the great fatigue they underwent before they were shipped, and to want of cleanliness, of ventilation, and to the scanty food while on shipboard. Juniper oil is not better than spirits of turpentine, or tobacco water, for the scab, or other remedies, and is far more expensive.

Sixth. Blood taken from any part of the body will answer as well as from the dug vein. Pasture less rich should be afterwards chosen.

Seventh. The last remark will apply here; a wine glass full of castor oil should be given when the body swells.

Eighth. I do not know the symptoms of diseased spleen in sheep, and do not find it mentioned in any of the many treatises on sheep which we have. The notion of this affection being pro pagated by a sheep wearing the bell of one that died of it, isabout as reasonable as the story gravely told by an old medical writer in Germany, of a dog catching the gout from sleeping at the feet of his gouty master!!!

Ninth. It is a fact that Merinos recently imported into this country, have had a disease very much resembling the small pox;

but we know nothing of it among those that arrived here before, or that descended from them. When it appears however, it must be attended to, or it will kill. The directions to separate the diseased from the healthy, are judicious: but the sick sheep should also be purged, and the pustules opened by a lancet, and cleanliness observed. If the disease appear partially, the wool should be plucked out from the part.

Eleventh. A careful farmer will never permit a disease in the foot to proceed to such a height: if matter is formed, let it be opened by a lancet: do not touch the nails unless they require paring, and then use a knife.

I repeat-Merino sheep when well treated, are a healthy race.

FACTS concerning the SLABBERING DISTEMPER in HORSES, and other DOMESTIC ANIMALS: In a letter from THOMAS MOORE, of Montgomery County, (Maryland), Farmer to Dr. MITCHILL, dated Brookville, 22d Feb. 1805.*

AGREEABLY to thy request, I shall endeavour to give a concise history of the slavering disease of horses, kine, sheep and hogs, which has, for some time, existed in this country, conformably to the facts which have come under my observation.

Late in the summer of 1795, I was told that the grass from a certain lot in the neighbourhood produced a remarkable defluxion of saliva from the mouths of horses. Soon after harvest, in the year 1796, I discovered something of it on my own farm, and was told that it had appeared on several others. In the course of a year or two more, it became general throughout the neighbourhood, gradually increasing in its effects, and beginning earlier in the season every succeeding year, until about the year 1802, since when it appears to be nearly stationary. It now commences about the last of the fifth month, and continues through the summer and autumn. It was not discovered for some years that other animals than horses were affected by it, nor was their health supposed to be materially injured; but at length,

any

*Medical Repository, Hexade 2, Vol. 3, p. 24.

kine, sheep, and hogs began to be sensibly affected, and it was found that horses would actually die if confined to the grass of certain fields without any other food.

The calamity now assuming a serious aspect, my attention (as well as many others) was turned towards a discovery of the cause, in hopes of being thereby enabled to take such measures as would lessen the effects. Red clover being the grass most commonly used for green food on many farms, an opinion very early prevailed, that the introduction of this grass had produced the disease. To this opinion, however, I could not subscribe, having frequently observed that the disease was produced in as great a degree by the grass of some fields where there was not a plant of clover to be seen as by any other; and, on the contrary, I found, by inquiry, that the disease was then unknown in several parts of Pennsylvania where red clover had been much longer in use than with us. But from observing that a small hard-stemmed grass generally made its appearance about the time the disease began, I (with many others) was led to believe that this grass was the cause; and, in order to ascertain it, made the following experiments: I picked over about seven pounds of red clover so carefully that I knew there was not a blade of any other kind of grass amongst it, and gave it to an hungry mare, entirely free from disease. In one hour after eating it, I was surprised and disappointed, by finding the disease to be excited in a considerable degree. The mare was then kept on dry food until she was again freed from disease, and an experiment made on the small grass before spoken of, the result of which was the same. Similar experiments were afterwards made on several other kinds of upland grass, and always with the same result. We also find, that any kind of grass which will produce the disease in its green state, will produce nearly the same effects when dry. In the course of the last two years it has become general throughout a district of country of some hundred miles in extent: and although I have yet heard of but few places where other animals than horses are materially affected by it, yet, from the increasing effect on them, and the rapid spread of the disease, it is to be apprehended, that

the time is fast approaching when it may be considered among the most serious calamities with which this country has been visited.

The symptoms in horses are a constant discharge of a watery fluid from the mouth, (probably to the amount of several gallons in twenty-four hours) without any apparent inflammation of the salivary glands; great thrist, dulness, loss of flesh, always exhibiting the same sunken appearance in the flank as an animal that is almost famishing for food: after some continuance of these symptoms, comes on a stiffness in all the limbs, which altogether continue till death. In other animals the symptoms appear to be nearly similar, though less in degree. Milch cows suffer a considerable diminution in the quantity of their milk, and still greater in quality, so that the profits of the dairy are much lessened. Dry cattle require a much longer time to fatten; and indeed, on some grounds, can scarcely be fattened at all. Hogs are not perceivably benefited by any grass which produces the disease in considerable degree. Sheep do not suffer as great inconvenience from it as any of the three last mentioned animals, yet they are sometimes very sensibly affected.

From some late observations I am inclined to believe, that if hay be put in bulk in such an uncured state as to cause it to pass through a very strong heat, the pernicious effect will be nearly destroyed; and if on further trial this proves to be the fact, may it not, in conjunction with the two following, to wit, that the disease is confined to uplands, and that ploughing generally eradicates it for at least a year (being always worst on grounds which have lain long in grass), afford something like a clue to unravel the mystery? Low grounds being, as far as we know, entirely exempt, looks like the exercise of animal instinct in regard to situation: and the effect of the plough to remove the cause for a short time, and the same afterwards gradually increasing, favours the supposition of the existence of an insect which may in some way produce the disease: perhaps by either an excrementitious or ovarious deposition on the grass, the qualities of which (particularly if ovarious) would probably be much chang

ed by the degree of heat before mentioned. But I do not believe that any such deposition has yet been discovered.

I remember, in one instance, to have observed a reddish appearance produced where the clover from a horse's mouth was dropped on purple cloth; hence may be inferred the presence of an acid of some kind.

In the foregoing statement I have related the facts nearly as they came under my own observation, with respect to the order. of time; but, on conversing with some old observing men, I find the disease is not entirely new, but that the second cutting of grass, in several places, has for many years been known to produce the disease in a very slight degree; yet so inconsiderable as not to excite serious attention.

These are the principal facts which have come to my knowledge relative to this extraordinary disease; and these, I hope, will be sufficient to insure the subject a scientific investigation; for surely that man will deserve well of his country, who, by developing the cause, will aid us in our endeavours to overcome the calamitous effects.

THE salivation, in animals, particularly in horses, from eating second crop grass, especially red clover, is an effect well known and lamented in the state of Pennsylvania, and in some other states: whether in all is uncertain. I have been at some pains to ascertain the epoch of its appearance, but I am sorry to say, that my inquiries have been attended with little success.Thus much is certain, that it appeared in different parts of Pennsylvania, at various times; hence while some farmers have mentioned 15 years, others have said that it did not appear on their farms until 10—8—5 years past.

In the county of Montgomery, state of Maryland, it was noticed by Thomas Moore, as stated in his paper, for the first time in 1795. Others had remarked it before. A gentleman informed me, that he well remembered to have seen it in 1779, in horses pasturing on State Island, below Philadelphia. Mr.