lo Sept.. 1908.] Diseases of the Skin. 517 



in Ijeing much less contagious, and it does not attack the skin in isolated 

 patches, or extend from the m.argins outwards to become confluent. Re- 

 coveries are spontaneous, without treatment ; and last, the insect is absent. 



" This prurigo is distinctly contagious, the medium being probably the 

 fungoid parasitic cells, or spores. These are so minute that they readily 

 float in the air, and a.re easily conveyed by one horse biting another, by 

 the saddle cloths, harness, brushes, &c. The ears and head become infected 

 by an anima.1 biting his own back, and the reason of the upper surface of 

 the bodv being fijst affected is that the spores settle as dust and fall through 

 between the hairs on to the skin, being more likely to fall off the sides or 

 limbs, or may be the excretions and accumulated debris on the skin in those 

 parts is a more suitable soil for their growth, which once established soon 

 penetrates the orifices and fissures of the skin. .Such fungoid parasites are 

 extremely minute, measuring from 1-3000 to 1-7000 of an inch, and are 

 rapidly reproduced by proliferating cell growth called spores, or by thread- 

 like bodies called mycelium ; these invade the skin and produce the morbid 

 changes, so disastrous to its structure. Susceptible horses show the disease 

 about a. week after contagion ; in some it finds a suitable soil and makes 

 rapid progress, in others it is altogether as slow, and it takes several 

 months to run its course. 



"Prevention. — Avoid everv source of infection; keep the horse in 

 health by cleanliness and good food, and wash with soap and water, or 

 some simple dressing that is anti-parasitic, and sprinkle sulphur on the skin 

 from time to time. 



'■' Curative remedies will consist of anti-parasitic agents that will not 

 injure the skin, so as to leave permanent blemishes. The skin of the horse 

 is very sensitive to the action of turpentine and the mineral caustics ; these 

 should be avoided, as too irritating. In all cases cleanse the skin by 

 thorough washing with soap and water, or soda and water, then apply 

 agents containing sulphur, such as potassa sulphurata, lime and sulphur, 

 hypo sulphite of soda, combined with water. Powdered sulphur mixed with 

 grease as an ointment is a good dressing. Preparations of tar,' such as 

 Avatery solutions of carbolic acid, Little's dipping mixture, and Jey's car- 

 bolic fluid, are very convenient for use. There are seiveral other agents, 

 that may be equally useful, such as prussic acid, or sulphurous acid, mixed 

 with glycerine and water. More important is the! method of application 

 than the agent that is used ; the wash is to be diligentlv and thoroughly 

 applied from the horse's nose to his tail, in fact, it would be best to swim 

 him in a medicated bath. 



" The clothing, saddles, harness, brushes, and even the stables will 

 require fumigating with burning sulphur, or immersion in the dressing used 

 for the horses. And as reinfection is liable to occur, a repetition of the 

 application will be required twice or thrice a week in order to effect a cure. 



" Constitutional treatment must not be lost sight of; change of feed, 

 rock salt, and mineral tonics, that act specially on the skin, as antimonv, 

 arsenic, iron, &c., are most suitable. It is important to remember that one 

 infected animal is a constant source of danger to others, so that isolation 

 and segregation should be attended to; and, although it may be almost 

 impossible to treat unbroken horses and cattle, still it will bel necessary to 

 check, if not to eradicate the disease, in working animals, as we cannot 

 foresee the disastrous extent to which the disease may reach." 



Shortly after Mr. Stanley's investigation Mr. Henry Tryon the Queens- 

 land Government entomologist announced his discovery, in the cells of the 

 cuticle in the hair follicles and in the hair of horses affected with Queens- 

 land mange, of an "exceedingly minute fungus occurring in immense 



