312 REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 



further work, or that the loathsome appearance of the animal in- 

 duced the owner to get rid of him in the most summary manner 

 possible. 



DISEASES OF THE SKIN, &C. 



The meagre acquaintance which non-professional persons 

 generally have of the diseases of the Equine tribe inevitably lead 

 to confusion and a mixing up of dissimilar diseases. 



With regard to skin diseases, this error is most patent, nearly, 

 or I might safely say all, being included under the one con- 

 venient term Mange. I need not point out the result of this 

 ignorance, further than as it is well known to foster empiricism 

 and quackery. Such terms are also exceedingly convenient to 

 grooms and farriers who undertake to cure diseases, as by the 

 blindness of employers they are able to eure (?) complaints com- 

 monly known under the name of an inveterate disease, and which 

 would, if let alone, with the adoption of perfect sanitary mea- 

 sures, get well without their interference. If, however, farmers 

 will be ignorant, and not trouble themselves to understand their 

 province, nor cease to patronise chicanery and humbug, by all 

 means let them pay for it — for certain it is that nine-tenths 

 which they expend under such circumstances, would pay for the 

 advice and experience of three respectable Veterinary Surgeons, 

 who, if properly entrusted, would not only effect a scientific and 

 successful termination of the affection, but put him on the pro- 

 per track towards avoiding similar diseases in future. 



Herpes, or Tetter, is a vesicular disease of the horse, gene- 

 rally circumscribed, and accompanied rarely with symptoms of 

 constitutional disturbance. These vesicles are sometimes so 

 small as hardly to be distinctly recognised, particularly where 

 the hair is strong and dense ; at others they are as large as a 

 millet seed or pea, and show the hairs sticking out of them, erect 

 and incapable of being made to lie smoothly. Where the hair 

 is thin, the disease is easily distinguished. 



As there is much irritation of the parts, the animal rubs 

 himself, the vesicles are burst, and scabs form, which entangle 

 the hair, and eventually together are detached from the skin, 

 leaving purple coloured, tender, and irritable sores, which occa- 

 sionally take upon them the ulcerative action. 



Such is the similarity in this affection to farcy and glanders, 

 particularly as the parts affected at times are the lips, nose, face, 

 Schneiderian membrane, inside the thighs and fore-arm. I have 

 on several occasions had such cases recovered, which have been 

 pronounced suspicious. 



The treatment should consist of bran mashes, laxatives, 

 exercise, with lotions of Goulard's extract. The causes being 

 associated with a derangement of the digestive organs, its 



