DISEASES. 253 



harness should be thoroughly cleansed, and care should be 

 taken to keep the affected horse from healthy ones. 



Ring-worm. 



This is a disease due to a microscopical vegetable fungus, 

 which, commencing to grow in the hair follicles or roots, destroys 

 the hairs, and makes bare circular patches of varying size, with 

 scales or scurf upon them. There is but little itching, though 

 the inflammation set up may cause soreness. The disease is 

 very contagious and disfiguring, and, if not treated in time, may 

 be very intractable. Young horses are more susceptible to it 

 than old ones. Before the bare patches appear, when the hand 

 is passed over the skin, little rough spots can be felt, and the 

 hair can be seen to stand erect over these. 



Treatment. If there are only isolated patches, these may 

 be treated by rubbing in a little Stockholm tar or iodine oint- 

 ment ; if the disease be more diffused over the skin, then the 

 treatment as for mange should be adopted. 



Grease. 



Grease is a diseased condition of the skin of the pasterns, 

 due to inflammation of the oil glands at this part, the secretion 

 of which is greatly increased (hence the name) with, as it 

 advances, cracks and ulcers, and accompanied by pain and 

 lameness, and swelling of the legs. This condition is, in nearly 

 every case, due to bad stable management, and very rarely to 

 digestive derangement. 



Treatment. Fomentations and poultices to subdue the 

 inflammation, afterwards dressing with carbolised oil, will 

 generally effect a cure in mild cases ; citrine ointment, or 

 oxide of zinc ointment, is also very useful. 



Cracked Heels. 



This may be said, in the majority of cases, to be a form of 

 grease, though generally it may be unaccompanied by any 



