Diagnosis. Treatment. g35 



company the process at a later stage. After a few weeks the 

 points of fine little hair emerge from the denuded dark colored 

 skin, causing the skin to feel downy, until finally the hair re- 

 turns completely. 



The general nutritional disturbances may in such cases 

 become evident by the occurrence of transverse grooves on the 

 matrix of horns, hoofs, claws and toes. 



Alopecia areata appears in the form of small, scattered 

 round spots on which the hair falls out, and which gradually 

 increase in size, but for some time preserve a s;^anmetrical 

 round form, until finally large, irregular bald spots arise by 

 coalescence of neighboring spots. The loss of hair may be ex- 

 tensive, but a general alopecia as in the before-mentioned cases, 

 does not occur ; on the other hand, the complaint is remarkably 

 obstinate, and occasionally will not heal. The skin appears in- 

 tact, and as a rule darker in color ; at the edges of the spots the 

 hair may easily be pulled out. 



Roll & Siedamgrotzky found atrophic skin in their cases in the cells of the 

 Malgighian layer, and very numerous pigmented bodies in the cells of the hair bulbs 

 and sebaceous glands, while Schindelka found atrophy of the hair bulbs and of the 

 fatty tissue and a diminution of pigment; microorganisms could not be found by 

 him. 



Diagnosis. Independent or congenital as well as secon- 

 dary alopecia are distingaiished by the healthy state of the skin, 

 and by the great extent of the bald spots caused by tissue 

 changes in the skin. 



The round spots in alopecia areata appear very similar to 

 those seen in herpes tonsurans, but in this latter one can often 

 feel or see hair stumps, the surface of the skin is covered with 

 fine scales and thread like fungi, and spores may be found in 

 the hairs. — Not infrequently acariasis runs for some time a 

 course similar to alopecia areata, but it may be differentiated by 

 finding acarus mites under the microscope, and by the fact 

 that serous fluid comes from the hair bulbs when a fold of the 

 skin is pressed, although in many cases several examinations 

 are necessary to establish the diagnosis. Alopecia due to 

 acariasis occurs much more frequently in dogs than true alope- 

 cia, with which it has undoubtedly often been confounded. 



Treatment. Since symptomatic general falling out of the 

 hair heals as a rule of itself after a few weeks, the metabolism 

 will most properly be stimulated by better nourishment, good 

 care of the skin, by washing with soap, soap and alcohol mbs 

 (pure rectified spirits, spirits of camphor). A similar procedure 

 may be adopted in alopecia areata, but owing to the possibility 

 of an infection, disinfectants (2% corrosive sublimate, 10% 

 balsam of Peru, 5% pyrogallic acid) may be employed in ad- 

 dition to the removal of the loosened hair; as a matter of fact 



