Curb and Poll Evil, 237 



After cutting the hair over the swelling, a little of this 

 may be rubbed in every night, until a free watery discharge 

 is produced on the surface. The leg should be fomented with 

 hot water, to encourage the flow, and if after a week's time 

 the curb has not disappeared, the ointment should be applied 

 again in a similar manner. 



POLL EVIL. 



Definition. — A fistulous ulcer, situated immediately be- 

 tiind the ears of the horse. 



Cause. — Poll evil is caused by accidental violence, or more 

 frequently by the use of a tight, bearing rein. 



Symptoms. — In its first stage, it is a soft tumor, surrounded 

 by a tender swelling, with stiffness of the neck. Later, it 

 breaks externally, and forms a deep ulcer or abscess, discharg- 

 ing unhealthy, ill-smelling matter. The fistula may extend 

 deep into the structures of the neck, sometimes even to the 

 neck bone, and the joint between the head and the neck, caus- 

 ing intense suffering. In such cases, if a probe is inserted 

 and pushed carefully along the track of the fistula, the bone 

 can be felt at its bottom. 



Treatment. — If seen early, when there is no external open- 

 ing, the horse should have a moderate purge, and the part be 

 kept wet with cold water or a cooling solution, as — 



No. 257. Tincture of arnica, 2 oz. 



Vinegar, 

 Water, each 1 qt. 



Lay cloths on the swelling, and wet them frequently with this. 



If the inflammation is overcome, the hardness remaining 



can be dispersed by rubbing with an ointment of iodine or 



iodide of mercury, as — 



No. 258. Iodine, ] drachm. 



Lard, 1 oz. 



Mix for an ointment. 



