584 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE 



quantity to saturate a long winter coat, and the creosote emulsion is the 

 cheaper and more effectual remedy. 



POULTRY LOUSINESS 



Although it is quite usual to have poultry among the horses of the farm, 

 and in some cases roosting in the stable, not to mention the pervei'se old hen 

 who will lay nowhere else but in a manger, and come flustering out when 

 the horse comes in, and this arrangement may exist for years without 

 trouble, yet every now and again horses become infested with poultry lousi- 

 ness, and sufier more irritation than with the species peculiar to themselves. 

 The same remedies will be found to answer as have been prescribed above. 



RINGWORM 



Any eruption upon the horse in the form of a broken circle is commonly 

 called by this name, but true ringworm is caused by parasites. There ar« 

 two principal varieties, known as tinea tonsurons and favns ; they are both 

 contagious, and may also be transmitted to man ; a matter of quite common 

 occurrence in hot climates. 



It affects the roots of the hairs, causing them to become brittle and fall 

 off. The ring which gives this disease its name in man is not so regular in 

 horses, and the fungus spreads in any direction. The middle portion, wliicli 

 at first appeared sound, may presently be affected. 



Trecdinent. — It is often troublesome to cure, and the more so because 

 some article of clothing, or maybe stable brush or rubber, has not also been 

 treated, or the bedding not destroyed. In one of the large London studs 

 this disease seemed as if it had come to stay, until moss litter was made to 

 give place to pine sawdust. There are many agents used in the destruction 

 of the troublesome fungus, which will subdue it at one time and fail at 

 another, and in such cases it is well to ring the changes. Jeyes' Fluid, 

 carbolic acid, picric acid, creosote, iodine, and all the mercurials liave been 

 used with more or less success. Although it is usually good treatment to 

 try mild remedies first, we would make an exception to ringworm, and first 

 paint the patches with tincture of iodine, and on alternate days rub in 

 citrine ointment (nitrate of mercury). 



ECZEMA 



This name serves to describe any simple eruption characterized by watery 

 vesicles which break and leave more or less of a scab. They may be very 

 small individually, but coming in clusters and coalescing, form an unsightly 

 scab and some soreness. The parts most affected are the neck, breast, belly, 

 and thighs. 



Causes. — These arc usually thought to be chills to the skin when heated, 

 irritation from harness and clothing, infection, errors of diet, and possibly 

 parasites. 



Treatment. — For a topical dressing carbolized oil one part in thirty 



