DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 105 



Treatment. This is a disease that generally yields to treat- 

 ment very readily when taken in time. Give as a drench one 

 pint of raw linseed oil, after which give one-half teaspoonful of 

 saltpetre in the drinking water or on damp feed night and morn- 

 inir. liathe all the affected parts twice per day with 1 pint of 

 vinegar to 1 gallon of cold water. Reduce the quantity of feed 

 given to about one-half. Give bran mashes, grass, etc., if they 

 can be had. 



MUD FEVER. 



Mud fever consists of an inflammation of the skin in the re- 

 gion of the hock behind, and the knees in front. 



Causes. Mud fever may result from any of the causes which 

 produce cracked heels, as washing and not drying, irregular ex- 

 ercise, standing in filthy, wet stables, driving through mud and 

 slush, etc. It is most common during spring and autumn, when 

 cold water is used to wash the legs. 



Symptoms. On examination the outside layer of the skin 

 about the hocks or knees is found to be inflamed. The pain is 

 often quite severe, the hair comes out to a certain extent, the 

 irritation extends to the deeper structures of the skin, often 

 giving rise to considerable swelling. In some cases constitu- 

 tional symptoms are present, the appetite interfered with, and if 

 the exciting cause be kept up the ^eneral system becomes very 

 much affected. 



Treatment. The treatment for mud fever is the same as for 

 Mallenders, which see. 



