378 THE HORSE. 



SURFEIT. 



Large pimples or lumps often suddenly appear on the skin of the 

 horse, and especially in the spring- ; and occasionally they disappear as 

 quickly as they came. Sometimes they seem to be attended with great 

 itching, but at others they appear not in the least to annoy the animal. 

 When they have remained a few days, the cuticle frequently peels off, and a 

 small scaly spot, though rarely a sore, is left. This is called a surfeit, from 

 its resemblance to some eruptions on the skin of the human being, when 

 indigestible or unwholesome food has been taken. These lumps are, in 

 some cases, confined to the neck ; but they oftener spread over the sides, 

 back, loins, and quarters. The cause is enveloped in some obscurity. 

 The disease most frequently appears when the skin is irritable during or 

 after the process of moulting, and when it sympathises most with any dis- 

 order of the stomach ; therefore, some veterinary surgeons have attributed 

 it to indigestion. It has been known to follow the eating of poisonous 

 herbs or mow-burnt hay, but much oftener it is to be traced to exposure 

 to cold when the skin was previously irritable and the horse heated by ex- 

 ercise ; it has also been attributed to the immoderate drinking of cold water 

 when the animal was hot. It is obstruction of some of the pores of the 

 skin and swelling of the surrounding substance, either from primary affec- 

 tion of the skin, or from its sympathy with the digestive organs. 



Bleeding will always be beneficial — from three to five quarts may be 

 taken, according to the strength of the horse, the extent of the eruption, 

 and the degree of fever. Physic never does good. If surfeit be con- 

 nected with some unheaUhy affection of the stomach or intestines, it is 

 that which the nausea or subsequent action of the purgative increases. 

 Alteratives will be found useful — and particularly the alterative which was 

 recommended for hide-bound (p. 371), and in the same doses. These 

 should be given on several successive nights. The night is better than 

 the morning, because the warmth of the stable will cause the antimony 

 and sulphur to act more powerfully on the skin. The horse should be 

 warmly clothed — half an hour's walking exercise should be given, an 

 additional rug having been thrown over him — such green meat as can be 

 procured should be used in moderate quantities, and the chill should be 

 taken from the water. 



Although the eruption may disappear after the bleeding, and that very 

 quickly, it will, if the horse be exposed to cold, come out again as sud- 

 denly, and as extensively as before. It will rarely, however, be advisable 

 to repeat the bleeding. 



Should the lumps, after several of these alternate appearances and dis- 

 appearances, remain, and the cuticle and the hair begin extensively to peel 

 off, a worse affection is to be feared, for it is far from unusual for surfeit 

 to precede or degenerate into mange. This disorder, therefore, shall next 

 be considered. 



MANGE 



Is a pimpled or lumpy eruption. After a while the vesicle breaks, the 

 cuticle and the hair fall off, and there is, as in obstinate surfeit, a bare 

 spot left covered with scurf; but some fluid oozes from the skin beneath, 

 and this scurfiness changes to a scab, which likewise soon peels off, and 

 leaves a wider spot : sometimes another scab succeeds to the first,; but 

 oftener a mere scaly, greasy-feeling, bare spot remains. This is attended 

 with considerable itching and tenderness, and thickening of the skin, which 



