244 Parasitic Diseases of the Skin. 



Poultry Lousiness ; Phthiriasis Equi. — This form 

 of disease is due to the ravages of a species of mite — der- 

 manyssus avium, common to the ordinary fowl, as well as 

 caged birds, as a result of stabling horses with fowls 

 beneath the same roof. The attack is sudden, exciting 

 the animal to acts of violence ; it also continues for hours, 

 and at night the irritation is even more severe, when the 

 animal tears his skin with his teeth. Separate vesicles 

 appear close together, and shortly agglomerate, covering 

 a large surface, succeeded by peeling of the cuticle 

 along with the hair, leaving bare patches varying in size 

 from that of a pea to half an inch. If the disease is not 

 arrested the entire skin will be disfigured and deprived of 

 hair. The constitution does not suffer greatly, unless 

 the attack is continued, when condition and power are 

 sacrificed. 



Treatment. — Remove the affected animals to tem- 

 porary quarters, and dress with the Stavesacre solution 

 advised for lice. Take away the fowls to a distance. 

 Thoroughly cleanse the stable, first by fumigation with 

 burning sulphur, washing afterwards with solutions 

 of " Sanitas," then by whitewashing. Throw the place 

 open for a week before the horses are taken back 

 again . 



Ticks and Maggots. — Ticks have the power of im- 

 bedding themselves in the skin, and annoy the horse 

 exceedingly. The best way of defeating them is by 

 dividing the body across by scissors ; " Sanitas" oil, one 

 part to six of olive oil, dropped upon them kills them at 

 once. 



Maggots numerously congregate in open wounds in hot 

 weather. Use one part of oil of turpentine to four of 

 olive oil; or the " Sanitas " mixture just referred to. 



Two varieties of Vegetable Parasites are observed 

 among horses, viz. : — 



Favus, or Honeycomb Ringworm, is a cryptogamous 

 fungus attacking the hair at its root, causing an eruption 

 and irritation, subsequently drying up, leaving a yellow 

 circular crust or scab, which ultimately reduces to a state 



