Investigation into the disease of sheep called "scrapie" (Traberkrankheit, la tremblante) : with especial reference to its association with sarcosporidiosis / by J.P. M'Gowan ; with an appendix on a case of Johne's disease in the sheep.

  • M'Gowan, J. P. (John Pool)
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Investigation into the disease of sheep called "scrapie" (Traberkrankheit, la tremblante) : with especial reference to its association with sarcosporidiosis / by J.P. M'Gowan ; with an appendix on a case of Johne's disease in the sheep. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The resemblance of the disease here described to “ goggles,” and incidentally to “scrapie,” is evident. Comber (12), in a pamphlet addressed to Dr Hunter, physician in York, me LT 72; discusses the disease “rickets” as follows :— A short description of the three principal stages, given by Mr Thomas Beal, farmer in my parish of Morboune. “The principal symptom of the first stage of this distemper is a kind of high headedness. ‘The affected sheep appear much wilder than usual. He bounces up suddenly from his laire and runs to a distance as though he were pursued by dogs. In the second stage the principal symptom of the sheep is his rubbing himself against trees, posts, Wc., with such fury as to pull off his wool and tear away his flesh.. The distressed animal has now a violent itching of the skin, . . . but it does not appear that there is ever any cutaneous eruption or salutary critical discharge. The third and last stage, . . . the poor animal appears stupid, separates from the flock, walks irregularly (whence rickets), generally lies, and eats little. These symptoms increase in degree till death follows a general consumption, which appears upon dissection of the carcase, the juices or even solids having suffered a general dissolution insomuch that the solids have no longer any of the good properties of flesh, nor the blood of its usual colour, &., . . . not any precise time from first symptom to death, . . . not one sex attacked. more than the other, nor lean rather than fat, nor gelt sheep rather than breeding ones.” “A distemper exactly the same as rickets in sheep . . . among deer in some parks (particularly in that of —— Appoice, Esq., at Washingley in this county).” “T do not find that this distemper 1s infectious, but hereditary equally from sire and dam; and may be latent one generation and reappear. _. . A sheep once attacked never recovers ; escaping it in early years, never takes it.” “The disease was about forty’ years standing in England; came from Lincolnshire hither (Hants), and yet I have never heard of the distemper in our county (Yorkshire).” Mitchell (13), in his book on agriculture in 1828, deals briefly with the question of “rickets” on the following terms: “ Rickets, rubbers, and shaking are nondescripts, or a distinction without much difference from black water in symptoms and cure.’ This does not give one. much information, but it shows that these three terms were regarded as synonymous. The mention of “rubbers” leads to the consideration of 1 This puts the date of the first recognition of the disease in England as far back as 1732.—[J. P. M'G.]