720 DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 



Mix the creosote and oil, then add the caustic solution. Dress 

 the affected spots about twice a week, and allow longer intervals 

 as soon as the skin becomes soft and tender. In cases where 

 the whole body is affected, we adopt the plan of shaving the 

 animal as soon as the skin is sufficiently smooth for the action 

 of a razor ; and in all cases it is good policy to shave about an 

 inch of hair off the sound skin all round the diseased spots. 

 This prevents the spread of the parasites. On a case I have 

 now under treatment, and in which most of the skin was 

 affected, I have tried clipping instead of shaving, and with good 

 results. I fancy the absence of hair not only allows the dressing 

 to act better, but injuriously affects the parasite. If this really 

 be the case, may it not account for the difference in the 

 symptoms caused by the parasite on man and on the dog ? 



" My experience as to the renewal of hair is opposed to that 

 of Weiss, who states that it is not regenerated. I find that, 

 except upon those spots where small ulcerations have been 

 followed by a cicatrix, the hair is reproduced, and that it grows 

 rapidly, but not until the parasites are totally eradicated. This 

 is remarkable, as one would naturally expect such damage as is 

 sustained by the follicles would have destroyed their function. 

 When we had cured our first case, we certainly did not expect 

 the renewal of hair, and were not a little agreeably disappointed. 



" A cure requires from three to eight months, and even a 

 longer time than this must be allowed for the growth of the 

 hair." 



MANGE IN CATS 



Is due to the presence of the sarcoptes cati (Gerlach), which 

 differs from the other burrowing mites 

 only in its relative size. It lives on 

 the skin of the different feline animals, 

 and is very commonly met with^ in- 

 ducing mange, in zoological gardens 

 and travelling menageries. Like the 

 mange of the other animals, it is highly 

 contagious, and occasionally all the 

 Fig. 141. - -Sarcoptes cati.— cats of the district become affected with 

 (Gerlach,) the disease. Neglected cat mange 



presents itself as a very loathsome and even fatal disease ; the 



