122 ERYTHEMA CHRONICUM. 



The superficial excoriations are often seen in clipped 

 horses, and in other animals whose heels suffer from wet and 

 dirt. An exciting cause of cracked heels is sometimes a 

 draught of cold air, in an ill-ventilated place, in which a cur- 

 rent is induced to strike directly against the heels of a horse 

 when close to a fissure, below a door, &c. 



The ulcerated heels are so difficult to cure, that the French 

 have applied the name of "javart cutaneV' (cutaneous 

 quittor) to such cases. They occur in animals that are much 

 over-fed and irregularly worked. They are seen chiefly on 

 the hind extremities, when these are often cedernatous, or 

 when the circulation in the limbs has been much disturbed 

 by repeated attacks of lymphangitis. 



TREATMENT OF ERYTHEMA. 



All recent cases of superficial inflammation of the skin yield 

 to cold or warm fomentations, to the application of tincture 

 of arnica, with which a lotion is made, consisting of one part 

 of the tincture to 12 of water, and to poultices. It is 

 occasionally necessary to use active depletives, such as 

 bloodletting, purgatives, and diuretics. In some instances 

 the skin should be protected by the application of gly- 

 cerine lotion or drying powders, such as oxide of zinc, 

 common flour, starch powder, and fuller's earth. I have 

 used the oxide of zinc powder with great success in many 

 cases. In clipped horses the hair is allowed to grow on 

 again, and attention is paid to the skin of the heels being 

 kept clean and dry. In the case of chapped teats the milk 

 should be drawn off" by means of teat tubes, or a milking 

 machine, and if the young animal has to suck, the teat 

 should be protected by a gutta percha shield. Equal parts 

 of pollodion and glycerine constitute an admirable applica- 



