70 



SCRATCHES. 



Scratches is allied to grease, but not so severe, but if neglected 

 may terminate in that disease. It is usually of a dry nature, with 

 shallow cracks in the skin, and often discharging a thin liquid, 

 which does not irritate the skin. The disease is located in the 

 back part of the pastern joint. 



• Trea^me?/^.— Cleanse thoroughly with castile soap and water, 

 dry, and apply: Sulphate of zinc 1 ounca, acetate of lead 1 ounce, 

 water 1 quart. Or, oxide of zinc 1 part, lanolin 10 parts. Or, 

 tincture of iodine may be resorted to. 



GREASE. 



Grease heel is a chronic inflammation of the skin of the back 

 part of the fetlock and pastern. 



The skin is at first red, swollen, painful, and hot. It is soon 

 covered by vesicles (blisters) which burst and discharge a thin, 

 yellowish liquid, which is at first without odor. The hairs are 

 matted together, erect, or have fallen out in large quantities. 



Grease produces, in the course of time, serious alterations in 

 the pastern. The excreted liquid becomes decomposed and 

 softens the epidermis. A kind of sticky, doughy exudate is 

 formed, which is of bad aspect, of fetid odor, and very irritating. 



The back part of the pastern and fetlock becomes the seat of 

 granulating wounds, the granulations ranging in size from that 

 of a pea to a large grape (the so-called grapy stage). 



Treatment.— In the first stage claanliness and the application 

 of the ordinary drying powder or antiseptic ointments are suffi- 

 cient. In cases where proud flesh exists, the granulations must 

 be removed with the knife and burned with red-hot iron or lunar 

 caustic and then treated as a fresh wound. 



MANGE (scabies). 



This is a contagious skin disease produced by parasites and 

 can be transmitted to mar. 



There are three parasites that cause mange; two varieties 

 burrow into the deeper layers of the skin, one being found about 

 the head and neck, though it may spread over the surface of the 

 body; the other variety is found at the roots of the mane and 



