680 DISEASES OF THE SKIX. 



iiesia ; and for dogs, jalap and calomel, caster oil, or the syriip 

 of buckthorn. The diuretics should be those that excite the 

 .excretion of the solid constituents of the urine, such as colchi- 

 cum, with the nitrate of potash, or iodide of potassium. When 

 the eczema is associated with disorder of the digestive apparatus, 

 loss of appetite, and irregularity of the bowels, the bicarbonate 

 of potass or soda, and bitters, as gentian, quassia, or cinchona 

 bark, are to be administered. In most cases of irregularity of 

 the bowels, where the fseces emit a foetid and peculiar odour, I 

 have found two-ounce doses of the hypo-sulphite of soda very 

 useful. Of specific alteratives, arsenic, in the form of arsenite 

 of potass, is the most valuable. For the lower animals it is to 

 be prepared in the simplest manner possible, and its preparation 

 is as follows: — Acid arsen., si.; potass carb., 51.; aqua, 3xii. ; 

 mix, and boil slowly, until the arsenic is dissolved, and strain 

 when cold. Prepared in this way, it is almost tasteless, and 

 quite odourless. Each ounce of the solution contains five grains 

 of arsenic ; the dose is from half an ounce to an ounce of the 

 liquor, two or three times a day for the horse, mixed with his 

 food or water ; horned cattle will take rather larger doses ; and 

 the dog, thirty to sixty drops, according to size. 



For animals in low condition, the arsenic may be combined 

 with vegetable tonics, and given in the form of a ball, nux 

 vomica making a valuable combination with it. 



The diet is to be regulated according to each particular case. 

 Some animals are so constituted as to be affected by what in 

 others proves to be the simplest of food, namely, green food. 

 In such instances, there must be a change to dry food, and in 

 all, during the earlier stages of the disease, there must be some 

 alteration and restriction both as to the quantity and quality. 

 It must also be borne in mind that all rough articles of diet, 

 such as meal-seeds, coarse straw, and other inferior and damaged 

 stuffs, are very prone to cause skin diseases. Locally, the parts 

 affected are to be bathed with warm water, or poulticed, if pos- 

 sible. The irritation and itchiness (pruritis) are relieved by the 

 application of a diluted solution of the diacetate of lead, the 

 white lotion, or a solution of the carbonate of potash ; in cases 

 where the itching is very extreme, by hydrocyanic acid largely 

 diluted. When in this state of itchiness, the animal should be 

 fastened, so as to prevent his biting or otherwise damaging him- 



