ECZEMA 445 



Eczema. 



{Red Mange.) 



By this Ave mean fat mange, summer mange, phagedenic scab, scale 

 scab. It is a cutaneous disease which appears in all breeds; it is non- 

 contagious and is an inflammatory condition of the cutaneous membrane 

 indicated by redness, swelling, nodules, pustules, fissures, scabs, and 

 crusts, which are generally accompanied with more or less itching. In 

 the first stages development of a hyperaemia is seen, thus reddening the 

 skin superficially, and accompanied by a serous exudation. If the inflam- 

 matory irritation stops, or if proper therapeutic measures are taken, 

 recovery may occur at once, and we have a more or less prolonged desqua- 

 mation of the epidermis. In the majority of cases, however, the irritation 

 increases and we find the formation of numerous pale red, tough, itching 

 nodules, accompanied by serous swellings and slight cellular infiltration 

 of the papilla}, but generally it is connected with the cutaneous follicles. 

 This condition may become retrogressive; the* nodules become depressed, 

 forming scabs. In other cases the serous exudation increases constantly 

 inside the papule, and, as a consequence, we have a rising of the external 

 cutis in these locations; or, in other words, numerous vesicles are formed 

 (eczema vesiculosum) . If the external cutis is strong enough to resist the 

 accumulated exudation for some time, the contents of the vesicles grad- 

 ually become milky and pus-like, on account of the entrance of colorless 

 blood-cells into the tissues (eczema pustulosum). 



In other cases the vesicles burst or are scratched open; the skin is 

 dark red in large blotches, and is marked by fine furrows which corre- 

 spond with the location of the ruptured vesicles. The eczematous exu- 

 dation oozes freely out of the upper surface (eczema rubrum). It is a 

 common occurrence to see the detachment of small portions of tissue 

 which are located between the numerous furrows in the epidermis. 

 Thus the whole surface of the skin is stripped of its ornyh layer and 

 may become filled with pus. The oozing liquid dries rapidly and be- 

 comes a scab or crust (eczema impetiginosum) , which is pushed away 

 gradually by the consecutive exudation, and finally becomes hard, dry, 

 and firm. Inflammation and swelling become gradually lessened under 

 the crust, and we have the formation of a firm epidermic cover, from 

 which the crusts gradually become detached. The diseased membrane, 

 which is now exposed, is not swollen to any great extent, but very red 

 (sometimes marked with dark, livid pigmentations) and covered with 

 numerous loose scabs which constantly fall off and are renewed from time 

 to time (eczema squamosum). 



Etiology. — The etiology of eczema is of great importance for es- 



