786 ANIMAL PARASITIC SKIX DISEASES. 



the animal on whicli they may be located, extends to several 

 days, and that of then- eggs probably to a longer period. 



Management of Cases of Scabies. — The medical treatment of 

 scabies consists, first, in the adoption of strict sanitary measures 

 for the segregation of the diseased from the healthy, the effectual 

 cleansing and disinfection of stables and everything which has 

 been in contact with the diseased, and the keeping of a strict 

 surveillance over the suspected for at least a fortnight. Second, 

 the treatment of the actually suffering. Here a little varia- 

 tion in detail may be needful, when the disease has existed for 

 some time, and when the psoric crusts are abundant. In this 

 latter condition, previous to the application of any remedy, it 

 is always good policy to have as much of these removed by 

 soaking with oil, glycerine and water, or soft soap, as can be 

 obtained, thereby favouring the du'ect application to the skin 

 of whatever is being used. 



In form these applications may be either that of lotion, 

 liniment, or ointment ; most probably, in the greater number 

 of cases, the oily preparation is the best. 



A very large list of medicinal agents might be given as 

 likely to be productive of good as parasiticides, and the greater 

 number of practitioners have some they value more highly 

 than others. 



The more certain, safe, and inexpensive of those employed arc 

 sulphur, the terebinthinate or wood-tar preparations, tobacco, 

 white hellebore, stavesacre, and arsenic. A very cheap and 

 efficacious wash may be made by cutting in small pieces an 

 ounce of common roll tobacco, macerating it in Avater near the 

 boihng-point for six or twelve hours, straining, making the 

 liquid up to twenty-six fluid ounces, and adding from two to 

 four ounces of glycerine. While, if a liniment is preferred, 

 there is nothing better than linseed oil one pint, oil of tar two 

 fluid ounces, suljoJtur two ounces. AVhatever dressings are 

 employed ought to be well rubbed into the parts, probably 

 two days in succession, allowed to remain for three or four 

 days, and then Avashed oft" with soft soap and tepid water, and 

 reapplied if thought needful. 



