4Hb BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



Treatment . — Thi.s disease is so often the result of indigestion that a 

 laxative of 1 pound Glauber's salts in 3 or 4 quarts water or 1^ pints 

 olive oil is often demanded to clear away irritants from the alimentar}' 

 canal. Following this, in recent and acute cases, give 2 drams of ace- 

 tate or bicarbonate of potash twice a day in the drinking water. If 

 the bowels still become costive, give daily 1 ounce sulphate of soda and 

 20 grains powdered nux vomica. In del)ilitated horses combine the 

 nux vomica with one-half ounce powdered gentian root. As a wash 

 for the skin use 1 dram bicarbonate of soda and 1 dram carbolic acid 

 in a quart of water, after having cleansed the surface with tepid Avater. 

 Employ the same precautions as regards feeding, stfibling, and care of 

 harness as in simple congestion of the skin. 



Ill the more inveterate forms of eczema more active treatment is 

 required. Soak the scabs in fresh sweet oil, and in a few hours remove 

 these with tepid w^ater and Castile soap; then apply an ointment of 

 sulphur or iodide of sulphur day b}'- day. If this seems to be losing 

 its effect after a week, change for mercurial ointment or a solution 

 of sulphide of potassium, or of hyposulphite of soda, 3 drams. to the 

 quart of water. In these cases the animal ma}- take a course of 

 sulphur (1 ounce dailj^), bisulphite of soda (one-half ounce daily), or 

 of arsenic (5 grains daily) mixed with 1 dram bicarbonate of soda, 



INFLAMMATION WITH PUSTULES. 



In this affection the individual elevations on the inflamed skin show 

 in the center a small sac of white, creamy pus, in place of the clear 

 liquid of a blister. They vary in size from a millet seed to a hazel- 

 nut. The pustules of glanders (farcy buds) are to be distinguished 

 by the watery contents and the cord-like swelling, extending from the 

 pustules along the line of the veins, and those of boils by the inflam- 

 mation and sloughing out of a core of the true skin. The hair on the 

 pustule stands erect, and is often shed with the scab which results. 

 When itching is severe the parts become excoriated by rubbing, and, 

 as in the other forms of skin disease, the character of the eruption 

 may become indistinct. Old horses suffer mainly at the root of the 

 mane and tail and about the heels, and suckling foals around tiie mouth, 

 on the face, inside the thighs, and under the tail. 



Pustules like eczema are especially liable to result from unwhole- 

 some food and indigestion, from a sudden change of food — above all, 

 from dry to green food. In foals it may result from overheating of 

 the mare and allowing the first milk after she returns, or b}' milk ren- 

 dered unwholesome by faulty feeding of the dam. If a foal is brought 

 up by hand the souring and other decompositions in the milk derange 

 the digestion and cause such eruption. Vetches and other plants 

 affected with honeydew and buckwheat have been the cause of these 



