good for what ails your sheep

As I mentioned a few months ago, I have developed an abiding interest in all things nineteenth century. The wonderful advent of Google Books means that I can spend an inordinate amount of time browsing through books and periodicals from that time period, no trip to a library or museum required. What a time suck resource!

Many of the publications contain patterns for and commentary regarding needlecraft. Of course, I can't just be content reading and enjoying them all on my own. I have to create work for myself in the process -- but honestly, it is too good not to share! I started another blog to do just that, called Fancy Work. I figured my five loyal readers over here may not be interested in that particular preoccupation and I don't want to take any chances with their loyalty, so I have seperated it out.

But I can't resist passing on this advice for treatment of sick sheep that I found today in the Wisconsin Farmer's Journal, from December 1, 1862:

Luckily, we have never had sheep behave this way, but now I know how to deal with it should it ever happen. One has to wonder if the cure is worse than whatever ails the poor sheep? Not to mention the fact that I would have to take up tobacco chewing to produce the requisite dose. My mom tells tales of my great-grandfather's spittoon. I suppose it would have been good to have something constructive to do with its contents.