274 



THE FARM DOCTOR. 



have close, unwholesome stables. Hot weather is also a cause. 

 Though occasionally associated with pimples or even vesicles, 

 the irritation is found to be equally severe on parts devoid of 

 eruption, yet the integument tends to become thickened and 

 rigid as the disease persists. The irritation may be slight, or so 

 severe that the harness cannot be kept on. It must not be 

 confounded with rubbing of the tail from pin-worms. 



Treatment. — Purge, put on restricted diet, with roots, wash 

 the skin with soap and water, and apply water slightly soured 

 with oil of vitriol. If this, with carbonate of soda internally, 

 fails to cure, a long course of arsenic is demanded. 



WARTS, CALLOSITIES. CANCER. BLACK PIGMFNT TUMOURS 



VVakts are to be removed by scissors and the part burned 

 with some caustic (lunar caustic if near the eye, butter of anti- 

 mony, blue-stone, chloride of zinc, etc., elsewhere). Or they 

 may be destroyed by tying a thread tightly round the neck of 

 each, or by the use of the hot iron. 



Callosities are common under the saddle (sitfasts). A cir- 

 cumscribed portion of skin, the seat of a former chafe, has 

 become thickened and indurated to almost horny consistency. 

 The skin around the edges is inflamed, raw, and angry. It can 

 usually be loosened by a poultice, so as to be easily removed 

 by a sharp knife, after which it is to be treated as a common 

 sore. 



Black Pigment Tumours (Melanosis) are exceedingly com- 

 mon in gray and white horses, attacking the black parts of the 

 skin (anus, vulva, udder, sheath, lips, eyelids, etc.), and though 

 sometimes cancerous, are often quite harmless, and should 

 always be removed with the knife. 



Epithelial Cancer is not common in the lower animals, but 

 is seen in the lips of horses and cats. Here again the knife is 

 the best remedy. 



