150 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



acetate of lead and glycerine, and any existing derangement of the system 

 may be met by judicious dieting, and the administration of alterative 

 medicine, as a mixture of equal parts of sulphur, nitrate of potash, and 

 resin, which may be mixed with the food and given morning and evening. 



SUPPURATIVE INFLAM.ALITIONS 



Diseases occurring in this class are limited to those in which pustules 

 constitute the primary lesion. In the lower animal the aftection which is 

 known as ecthyma is the only disorder which may be considered a typical 

 one. Furunculus, which means merely a boil, is of occasional occurrence 

 in horses, and would naturally come under the same class. 



Ecthyma commonly appears in the form of pustules of various sizes on 

 an elevated patch of skin, which is extremely tender to the touch. 



It may be simple or contagious; the latter form of the disease is the 

 more prevalent, and is better known in this country as the "American Horse- 

 pox " or the "American Horse Disease", and by some as "German Boil". 

 These terms had no doubt their origin in its common occurrence among 

 imported horses, especially those from America, Canada, and Germany. It 

 is essentially a local disease, which spi-eads from animal to animal more 

 especially by means of infected clothing and harness; it appears to be 

 necessary that the contact of the skin with the contaminated article must 

 be extremely close. The mere throwing of a soiled cloth over an animal's 

 body is not alone sufficient to transmit the disease ; but if it be ridden for a 

 short distance while the infected cloth or saddle is on the back, the disease 

 is almost certain to follow. 



The appearance of the malady so often on the withers, the lay of the 

 collar, and the back, is probably to be explained by the favourable influence 

 which the heat and moisture generated in these partr exercise on the ])\o- 

 pagation of the contagion. 



Treatment. — This being a local disease will depend mainly on local 

 applications for its eradication. To commence with, it is desirable that all 

 contaminated clothing should be removed and the employment of contam- 

 inated harness be discontinued. A ten-per-cent solution of carbolic acid 

 should be freely applied on and around the pustules twice a day, not only 

 to bring about speedy healing of the sores, but at the same time to destroy 

 the contagion existing in the discharges. A little boracic acid and flour 

 dusted over the wounds two or three times a day may be used with the 

 same object. 



In severe cases the food ration should be diminished, and the state of 

 the bowels may i-equire the administration of a mild aperient. 



