124 URTICARIA. 



URTICARIA. 



Nettle rash, technically termed urticaria, is a frequent 

 form of exanthematous eruption in the horse. I have seen 

 many cases characterized by the somewhat sudden appear- 

 ance of elevations of the skin, varying in size from a hazel 

 nut to a walnut, and sometimes as broad as the palm of a 

 man's hand, in different parts of the body. The irritation of 

 the skin is sometimes considerable, and it is found to occur 

 chiefly in plethoric animals and in hot weather. Mr Per- 

 eivall mentions a case under the head 'Surfeit/ which, from 

 the description, must be regarded as urticaria. This descrip- 

 tion is as follows: 



" 1840, May 3d. A four-year-old mare, this morning had 

 four lumps make their appearance: two upon the inner part 

 of each thigh, directly opposite, and touching each other; 

 which were flattened, quite circular, and about the size of a 

 small captain's biscuit; another, somewhat smaller, appeared 

 upon the belly; and a fourth, still smaller, upon the back, in 

 the place where the points of the saddle-tree bear. Their 

 singularity of character consists in the perfect roundness of 

 their figure; only one of them, that upon the belly, having 

 a humpy sort of divergence to one side of the circle. The 

 submaxillary glands of the left side were also enlarged, and 

 the Schneiderian membrane reddened. They made their 

 appearance quite suddenly. Since the attack, the mare ex- 

 perienced a violent fit of coughing ; and yet the appetite and 

 spirits are not affected. Nothing done. May 4<th. Since 

 yesterday, kept upon mashes. These large lumps have di- 

 minished and become more diffused, but numerous small 

 ones of the ordinary size of half-marbles have made their 

 appearance in all parts of the surface. May 5th. The lumps 

 have decreased, and appear to be on the decline. Prepare for 

 physic. May 7th. Yesterday, the physic operated; it indeed 



