704 DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 



kennel contained about half a dozen dogs, which were often 

 changed ; and cases of the disease broke out in this place, one 

 after another, for months. 



" The duration of the disease is very long. I have seen a 

 case of two years' standing ; but I do not think this length of 

 time could be much exceeded, as the pitiable condition of the 

 animal indicated a fatal termination, unless treatment had been 

 adopted. I am inclined to think that the development of the 

 disease, or I might say its period of incubation, is very slow. 

 At any rate, a healthy dog remains a long time in contact with 

 diseased ones before he shows symptoms of it. 



" Treatment. — My first two or three cases were all unsuc- 

 cessful, and it was not until I compared notes with Mr. Duguid, 

 the veterinary surgeon to the Brown Institution, that I found 

 this was the experience of every one else. We then worked 

 together, and tried preparations of mercury, sulphur, iodine, 

 carbolic acid, and other parasiticides, but still with no effect. 

 These substances were applied either in watery solutions, or in 

 oil, or as ointments, and were used of various strengths, so as 

 in some cases to affect the system, or to produce a caustic action 

 on the skin. It then occurred to Mr. Duguid, that as the 

 parasites were situated deeply in the skin, any application to 

 reach them must first soften and break up the cuticular covering. 

 A mixture of creosote and oil, to which was added a strong 

 solution of caustic potass, was tried, and its action was soon 

 most marked. To facilitate matters, we also adopted the plan 

 of washing the dog with warm water and soft soap, previous to 

 applying the dressing. This is most useful in all parasitic skin 

 diseases, but in none so conspicuously as this ; as it softens the 

 cuticle, and removes aU scabs, &c., allowing the drug every 

 chance of reaching the parasites. 



** Carbolic acid, used with oil and caustic potass, is not effective, 

 nor is any drug without the alkali. Creosote ointment was 

 tried without effect by Weiss. Caustic solutions failed in 

 Haubner's hands, but the two combined are, as our experience 

 shows, perfectly reliable. The following is the formula : — 

 ^ Creosote, . . 3iv. 

 Olive oil, . . gvii. 

 Sol. potassae, • |i. 



