TREATMENT OF ERYTHEMA. ERYSIPELAS. 123 



tion for the protection of chapped teats, and it is probable 

 that in all such cases the use of the milking machine is pre- 

 ferable to the rough handling in milking with the hand. I 

 have seen the teats of ewes deeply eroded from the lambs 

 sucking during attacks of erythema; and in these cases it was 

 essential to take the lamb off the ewe, and turn the latter on 

 bare pasture, attending at the same time to the local 

 wounds. 



ERYSIPELAS. 



This disease consists in diffuse inflammation of the skin 

 and areolar tissue, associated with fever. Some confusion 

 has arisen from diseases being regarded as erysipelatous that 

 are really not so. Thus lymphangitis or weed has been 

 described as cedematous erysipelas, and the blue-sickness of 

 the pig has been spoken of as gangrenous erysipelas. 



Simple erysipelas occurs in all animals, but it is seen more 

 often amongst sheep and dogs than all other animals. It is 

 either due to plethora and the effects of a sudden check to 

 the secretions of the skin, or it may supervene in cases of 

 injury. Severe attacks of erysipelas have been seen in sheep 

 after shearing, when the skin has been cut. Erysipelas is apt 

 to extend over the leg from a bad cracked heel. 



Treatment consists in placing the animals on low diet, 

 purging, and following up the purgation by doses of nitre. 

 Solution of the diacetate of lead applied with water over the 

 inflamed skin is very beneficial. Mr Wilson says, that in 

 man he has found great benefit from using a lotion com- 

 posed of a drachm of sesquicarbonate of ammonia, the same 

 quantity of diacetate of lead, and half an ounce of laudanum 

 to a pint of water; he adds, that simple inunction with lard 

 is in every way superior to all fluid applications. 



