URTICARIA. 87 



l^referable to cathartics in cases where the animal cannot 

 be laid off work, and locally a mild astringent may be used. 



HERPES. 



Now and then cases are met with where a horse is 

 suffering pretty severely from influenza ; he arrives at the 

 convalescent stage, when suddenly an eruption is observed 

 to have taken place all over his body. This is a form ot 

 erythema, and is known as herpes. It is generally confined 

 to the lips, but may involve the whole body, as neck, limbs, 

 etc. The mucous membrane of the lips is involved. It 

 is due to some chano;ed condition of the blood. 



Sijmptoms. — There is a reddened appearance of the skin; 

 little pimples appear and become confluent. In some cases 

 the hair falls off in patches, varying in size from that of one's 

 thumb to three or four fingers ; the animal perspires very 

 easily. When the whole system is affected the pulsations 

 increase in frequency, and the temperature becomes elevated, 

 but such symptoms are absent in cases in which there is 

 only a little local irritation of the lips. 



Treatment — Use carbolic acid, zinc sulph., plumbi acetas, 

 and other astringents, and give diuretics, as potass nitrate, 

 iodide, colchicum, etc. ; sodse carb. if the stomach is acid. 

 Sulph. flurum is also good internally. 



SIMPLE ECZEMA. 



This condition is a very common one, and more particularly 

 so during the hot months of summer, and is often mistaken 

 for mange. Simple eczema may be defined to be a non-conta- 

 gious disease of the skin, characterized by the formation 

 of a small pimple, which subsequently becomes a vesicle and 

 finally a pustule. 



Cause. —Simple eczema occurs as the result of a changed 

 or perverted condition of the blood, produced, or at least 



