CHAPTER IX. 



DISEASES OF THE SKIN AND EYF 



ERYTHEMA. 



Erythema is a slightly inflamed condition of tlie skin, unattended 

 by any eruption. The parts are slightly swollen, hot, tender, or 

 itchy, and dry, and if the skin is white there is redness. 



Erythema may arise from a variety of causes, as chilling or partial 

 freezing, heat and burning, chapping, urine, and medicine. 



Treatment. — ^Apply the following several times daily: Sulphate of 

 zinc 1 ounce, acetate of lead 1 ounce, water 1 quart. Or, use the 

 following ointment twice daily: Oxide of zinc 1 ounce, cosmoline 6 

 ounces. 



GREASE. 



(Plate XVII.) 



Grease is a chronic inflammation of thiB skin of the back part of 

 the fetlock and pastern. It is usually caused by lack of cleanliness, 

 but may result from overfeeding without exercise. 



The skin is at first red, swollen, painful, and hot. It is soon cov- 

 ered by vesicles (blisters) which burst and discharge a tliin, yellowish 

 liquid, which is at first without odor. The hairs are matted together 

 erect, or fall out in large quantities. 



Grease produces, in the course of time, serious alterations in the 

 pastern or fetlock. The excreted liquid becomes decomposed ami 

 softens the epidermis. A kind of sticky, doughy exudate is formed, 

 which is of bad aspect, of fetid odor, and very irritating. 



The back part of the pastern and fetlock becomes the seat of 

 granulating wounds, the granulations ranging in size from that of a 

 pea to a large grape (the so-called grapy stage). 



Treatmevi. — In the first stage cleanliness and the appHcation of 



the ordinary drying powder or antiseptic ointments are sufficient. 



In cases where proud flesh exists, the granulations must be removed 



with the knife and burned with red-hot iron or lunar caustic and then 



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