PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 225 



infection of harness naturally depends upon the nature of the 

 contamination to which it has been subjected. Suppose, for 

 i-xample, during the conveyance of an anthrax carcase from a byre 

 to the place of cremation some of the infective blood became 

 Miicared on the traces, which might easily happen if due care were 

 not taken, it is quite unnecessary to disinfect the entire harness 

 or to remove the padding of the saddle and collar which is such an 

 important procedure when mange is the disease to be dealt with. 

 All that is required is to disinfect the contaminated area, allowing 

 a boundary for safety, or at the most to disinfect the entire harness 

 without removing the padding. Each case must be treated on 

 its own merits. 



In the case of mange the greatest care must be taken to cleanse 

 and disinfect every part of the gear, whether it comes in direct 

 contact with the animal or not. The first thing to do is to take 

 the whole harness apart, every buckle must be undone and all straps 

 removed from keepers, &c. Fortunately there is no danger to 

 human life in handling such soiled material as there is in the case 

 of a blood-smeared trace or coupling. 



The entire padding, if cloth-covered, should be ripped out from 

 the collar and saddle ; it is false economy to leave it alone and trust 

 to luck in the disinfection. The additional expense is nothing 

 compared with what it would be if the disinfection is incomplete 

 and the disease breaks out once more. If the padding is leather- 

 covered and the leather is in good condition it may safely be left, 

 but if it is frayed and worn into holes it should be treated in the 

 same way as the cloth covering. 



Having undone all the harness the next thing is to free it from 

 all grease and dirt. This is most important, for the disinfectant 

 cannot act properly if there is a layer of dirty grease covering such 

 parts as come in contact with the body. To this end scrub all the 

 leather work with a hot solution of soda and soap, working the hairs 

 of the brush well into and between seams and keepers. After 

 this preliminary cleansing disinfection may proceed. An important 

 thing to bear in mind is not to use chemicals that will spoil the 

 leather or erode the metal work. Corrosive sublimate is unsuitable 

 as it will tarnish or even pit the metal. The same objection applies, 

 though in less degree, to the use of a solution of bleaching powder. 

 Formalin is said to make the leather hard and brittle. A 5 per 

 cent, solution of carbolic acid, or a 3 per cent, solution of Liq. 

 Cresol. Sap. or Jeyes Fluid in suitable strength are all excellent 

 for the purpose. 



The harness should be soaked for an hour or two in the solution 

 15 



