2 88 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



and smooth, but pits on pressure, and often presents vesicles 

 on its surface. After a few days the sweUing and redness may 

 'diminish, and the bHsters dry up into scales, which drop off, 

 leaving a dark red tender surface; or cracks may form with a 

 sluggish, unhealthy action, and little tendency to heal. When 

 matter forms it is liable to be diffused without any limiting 

 niembrane as in an ordinary abscess and to lead to extensive 

 death and sbughing of the skin and subja'-ent structures, or to 

 absorption of pus and its deposit in internal organs, with fatal 

 results. 



In horses it is seen mainly about the head, chest, belly, and 

 hind limbs, and is especially liable to prove redematous. It is 

 distinguished from Anthrax and Purpura Hcpmorrhagica by 

 the presence of the wound or sore, by the low inflammatory 

 character of the swelling, by the greater tendency to suppura- 

 tion, and the implication of the adjacent lymphatic glands. 



Cattle suffer especially about the head, but also on other 

 parts of the body. Sheep suffer mainly about the head, but 

 often and more severely about the udder, belly, and inner side 

 of the thigh or arm, and it may be elsewhere. 



Swine are mainly attacked about the head and neck, and less 

 frequently on the inner side of the limbs, the chest or belly. 



Treatment. — Open the bowels freely (horse, ox, and sheep, 

 Glauber salts ; swine and dog, castor-oil), following it up by 

 frequent and full doses of tincture of muriate of iron and a 

 nourishing, easily digested diet. In case of much weakness or 

 with very low fever use stimulants, alcoholic or ammoniacal as 

 they may be demanded, but never if they cause dryness of skin 

 and rise of temperature. Diuretics may be used in cedematous 

 cases, but in a guarded manner because of the depression. To 

 the affected skin apply warm fomentations, by preference, with 

 weak solutions of tincture of muriate of iron, hyposulphite of 

 -soda or sulphate of zinc. Sometimes dry applications have a 

 good effect, — as a mixture of sulphate of zinc and starch. 



