DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF THE HORSE 245 



tact with the affected animal (a few drops of carbolic acid 

 in warm water). This will kill the insect and prevent the 

 disease from spreading. Feed soft food and give a teaspoon- 

 ful of sulphur in the food twice a day. 



10. Ringworm. 



Causes. — Ringworm is also the result of the burrowing 

 into the skin of a parasite. It is much more frequently met 

 with in cattle than in horses. 



Symptoms. — It often attacks around the eyes and nose. 

 The germs or parasites work in circles, which causes the hair 

 to fall off and leave round, bald spots. If not checked, it 

 soon spreads over the body. Men are liable to contract this 

 disease from horses and cattle, and horses and cattle are 

 liable to contract it from men. 



Treatment. — The best and cheapest remedy, and one 

 never known to fail in our experience, is crude petroleum oil 

 as it comes out of the ground. This can be bought at almost 

 any store in the country or city. Paint it over the spot where 

 the ringworm is working, allowing it to extend a half-inch 

 over the edge of the ringworm on to the healthy skin so as 

 to check the spreading. Apply this once a day until the ring- 

 worm is gone. If it blisters the skin, stop using it for a day 

 or so and then continue the applications. Another very good 

 remedy is tincture of iodine. Paint as before, every two or 

 three days until the ringworm is gone. 



11. Lice. 



Horses may be infected with common horse lice or hen 

 lice. Hen lice are very small, reddish looking, and travel 

 very fast. Being too near a lousy hen house, or the roosting 

 of hens in the stable, may account for them. Horse lice are. 

 larger than hen lice. They have a long, brownish body, 

 travel very slowly, are generally found on horses that are 

 turned out and have long, dirty hair. 



Symptoms. — The coat looks rough. He does not thrive 

 well, keeps rubbing his sides, neck and tail until he has the 

 hair worn off, and seems to be in perfect misery. The lice 

 may be seen upon close examination. 



