86 HOESE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. 



Water has no power to remove the scaly part of the 

 outer skin, its effect being confined alone to any dust 

 or mud that may have fallen on the coat. Our best 

 authorities are unanimous in condemning the custom 

 of washing the animal. Both cracked heels and mud- 

 fever a form of inflammation of the skin, which 

 extends more or less over the legs, and sometimes over 

 the lower surf ace of the abdomen are often caused by 

 this practice. Mud-fever is a. common complaint in 

 England, though rare in India. 



We find from experience, that the external applica- 

 tion of warm water, especially to the legs and feet, is 

 still more objectionable than that of cold. This is 

 chiefly due to the fact that it more readily removes the 

 oil which keeps the skin soft, and is more efficient in 

 loosening the layers of scales which serve to protect 

 the true skin from irritation by external objects. The 

 heat of the warm water may, also, stimulate the oil- 

 glands which lie deep in the true skin, to an abnormal 

 degree of activity. Subsequent cold, brought on 

 by evaporation, or by a current of air, may cause con- 

 traction of the superficial extremities of the oil tubes, 

 so that the exit of the fluid may become obstructed ; a 

 state that will probably be followed by inflammation, 

 as may be evinced by " cracked heels," "grease," or 

 "mud-fever." 



Clipping. The presence of a thick covering of hair 

 is analagous, in the case of a man, to the wearing of a 

 warm overcoat, which, however suitable it would be to 

 protect the body, while in a state of comparative rest, 

 from the inclemency of the weather, would be a dis- 

 tressing burden to one who had to undergo severe 



