DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 147 



some pulpy agent. This should be changed twice a day, 

 and the healing lotion applied liberally before the ap- 

 plication of each poultice. Give very little food for a 

 day or two, and if there is any fever, administer a ball 

 as follows ; Barbadoes Aloes, 6 drams, ginger, 1 dram. 

 The poulticing should not be continued for more than 

 4 days, as it is apt to produce proud flesh in the wound. 



SCRATCHES CRACKED HEELS. 



Causes. These are constitutional and local. What 

 pecular condition of the skin most predisposes an ani- 

 mal to this disease is unknown, when, from any cause, 

 except that the circulation of the blood in the skin on 

 the heel is weakened, it will be much more susceptible 

 to scratches. The most frequent local cause is long con- 

 tinued exposure to very low temperature, as when the 

 animal has to work in ice water during thawing periods, 

 especially after snow storms. This is greatly aggra- 

 vated by street railroad companies salting the tracks. 

 This not only increases the irritating effect of the street 

 filth, but it lowers its temperature many degrees. The 

 effect of such a material on any part of the body is to 

 lessen the force of the circulation of the blood. If ex- 

 posed to it for many hours, complete stagnation of blood 

 is apt to occur, and if long continued will cause death 

 of the part. On account of the low vascularity of the 

 connective tissue and structures under the skin of the 

 limbs of horses, this local death from long exposure to 

 low temperature often occurs. The first symptom is swel- 

 ling near the fetlock, with great lameness, usually fol- 

 lowed in a few days by a bursting of the skin and the 

 escape of a foul smelling, pasty material, which is the 

 debris of the dead structures. In other cases a portion 



