282 CLINICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



rise to an excessively irritable condition of the skin, they are seconded 

 by direct irritation, such as pressure, friction, or the action of cold or 

 heat. 



What are the clinical anatomical characters of acute eczema ? 



The eruption appears in the form of little red spots, varying in size 

 between that of a lentil and a pea, very closely massed together, and 

 sometimes almost confluent. These hyperaemic patches increase in 

 size, their centres become thickened and prominent, and fresh patches 

 form ; this stage constitutes papular eczema. When all parts of the 

 diseased surface are inflamed and red the eczema is termed erythe- 

 matous. In this case there is severe pruritus, which provokes incessant 

 scratching. In some rare cases the papules disappear, the epidermis 

 desquamates, and the congestion of the skin vanishes ; but almost 

 always a little drop of serous fluid collects above the papule, which is 

 then transformed into a vesicle ; the eczema has become vesicular. 

 Almost as soon as formed the phlyctenae are ruptured in consequence 

 of scratching ; resorption of the contents of vesicles is quite exceptional. 

 The diseased surface is then more or less denuded of hair, the epidermis 

 destroyed, and the papillary layer inflamed ; the exuded liquid is first 

 serous, afterwards purulent ; it soon forms a viscous layer which exhales 

 an offensive smell : at this stage the eczema is known as moist or 

 secreting. Common eczema rubrum is only a variety of moist eczema 

 characterised by marked redness of the skin, which is deprived of its 

 epidermal covering. 



At this stage, which persists for some days, animals are usuall}' 

 brought for advice. Over the eczematous patch the hair is glued 

 together by transuded liquid ; in long-haired dogs it forms a felted 

 mass covered with a pseudo-membranous exudate ; the papillary layer 

 is inflamed, swollen, red, finely granular, and extremely sensitive. The 

 least touch produces pain ; quiet animals avoid examination, others 

 may threaten to bite. On carefully examining the skin around the 

 discharging patch, vesicles of recent formation may be seen. By for- 

 mation of such vesicles in concentric zones the eczema spreads from 

 the spot where it originated to adjacent parts. Having arrived at full 

 development it may persist with these characters for three to six days, 

 sometimes longer, after which the stages of recovery commence. But 

 this regular course is not infrequently disturbed by various accidents 

 which impart a special character to the cutaneous lesions. When 

 inflammation is aggravated by rubbing, it may affect the deeper layers 

 of the skin, which granulate, crack, or become wrinkled. 



In ordinary cases the liquid transuded by the papillary layer becomes 



