5S8 The Book of the Horse. 



to a hot sun or a cold wind^ or are allowed to stand in a current of cold air after having 

 become heated during a journey ; in the same circumstances drinking a quantity of cold 

 water, being removed from a Turkish bath without being properly cooled down, will also 

 produce the disease quite suddenly; in fact, it is a specialty of the affection to appear 

 without warning. A horse which has gone through a journey with perfect comfort, and on 

 his return has shown no signs of illness, all at once becomes covered with lumps or blotches, 

 which vary in size from the diameter of a shilling to that of a dinner-plate. The swellings 

 are rather hard to the touch, and are considerably raised above the surface, causing a very 

 peculiar appearance, and giving rise to alarm when the nature of the attack is not well 

 understood. Sudden interruption of the action of the skin, from the rapid cooling down 

 of the heated surface in the ways referred to, causes congestion of the blood-vessels, and 

 effusion into the tissue beneath the skin. Restoration of the circulation in the vessels of 

 the integument removes the disease as rapidly as it arose. 



" Perhaps in the majority of instances the mere use of warm clothing would be sufficient 

 to effect a cure ; but it is usual to give a dose of some medicine which has a tendency to 

 excite the action of the skin. Small doses of aloes, nitrate of potass, and tartarised antimony, 

 are the agents which are most effective for the purpose, and a ball containing two drachms 

 of each drug will often do all that is required in the way of medical treatment. Sometimes 

 bleeding is resorted to, and generally with immediately beneficial effect ; but the disease is 

 altogether of too simple a character to be dealt with so seriously. 



"Very rarely, urticaria assumes a chronic form; the lumps become smaller, but do not 

 disappear ; a discharge of thin fluid issues from a minute opening in the centre of each 

 small tumour, and the hair falls off in circular patches. 



" This form of the disease is sometimes very obstinate, and requires both local and 

 constitutional remedies for its eradication. Compounds of iodine, especially with sulphur, 

 are valuable. Ointment of the iodide of sulphur may be applied freely to the diseased 

 skin, and the same agent in doses of fifteen grains, with an extra quantity of iodide of 

 potassium and a little powdered gentian, may also be given in the food every second day 

 until signs of improvement are apparent. Cessation of the discharge and the diminution 

 of the size of the tumours will be followed by growth of hair on the bare places ; and when 

 these marks of recovery are evident, the treatment may be discontinued or the remedies be 

 used less frequently." 



Ringworm is a common affection of the skin of the horse ; its appearance is so characteristic 

 as scarcely to be mistaken. The disease appears in any part of the surface, and not unfrequently 

 rapidly spreads. A circular patch of hair, from half an inch to an inch in diameter, is firstly 

 noticed, slightly elevated, a thick light-coloured scurf forms, and the hair then desquamates, 

 leaving a bare patch; others soon follow. This malady is not difficult to combat. The 

 tone of the system should be improved by the administration of alterative and tonic medicines, 

 good feeding, and good grooming. When this improvement is secured, almost any mild 

 stimulating dressing will suffice to destroy the eruption. Among others, the following are 

 frequently successfully used : weak mercurial ointment, the tincture of iodine, strong solution 

 of sulphate of iron, or a weak solution of the bichloride of mercury. 



The well known " mud fever " is a peculiar form of irritation of the skin, which is due 

 to the action of cold, wet, or dirt on the surface. Some horses are constitutionally predisposed 

 to it, as we notice is the case in the human being with chapped hands, blistered and cracked lips ; 

 it is in many animals more easily prevented than cured. By far the preferable plan, however, is 



