Observations on the fleeces of experimental sheep receiving daily doses of sodium fluoride

Abstract

An examination was made of wool and skin samples from sheep being dosed with sodium fluoride, and from other sheep acting as controls, from March 1953 to March 1954. It was evident that the sodium fluoride caused the wool to grow shorter, finer, less crimped and to become less lustrous; less wool grease was produced, and it seemed that in certain samples from one sheep tenderness of the fibres had been caused. There was a greater occurrence of capsules associated with follicles in skin samples from the dosed sheep, suggesting that the sodium fluoride might have been the cause of these. The number of capsules in one sample was large enough for the details of possible stages in their development to be described. There were apparently no other abnormalities in the skin and follicles, and follicle counts suggested that the sodium fluoride had not influenced the percentage of shedding fibres. Information was gained about the normal changes in the percentage of shedding fibres through the year.