DOGS! THEIR MANAGEMENT. 143 



them towards the latter or confirmed stages of distemper, 

 and often they have immediately preceded the fits. The 

 first indication given is a little redness, whidh is strictly 

 local or confined to a particular spot. This place is not 

 very red, but, nevertheless, it is obviously inflamed and 

 tender ; there is not much swelling, but a slight hard- 

 ness can be detected. A day or two afterwards the red- 

 ness dies away, and a globular eminence, perfectly round, 

 and generally about the size of a split pea, is beheld. If 

 it be opened, a proportionate quantity of thick pus of a 

 healthy character escapes, and a comparatively large 

 incrustation forms over the part ; if not opened, the pus- 

 tule bursts and the scab follows, but larger than in the 

 previous case. Mostly the eruption appears on the belly 

 and inside of the thighs, but it is seldom strictly confined 

 to those parts. Often it affects the trunk and tail, but 

 does not usually attack the head and fore-limbs. There 

 is no proof that any benefit attends its development, or 

 any known reason for attributing it to any cause j save 

 only such as can be drawn from the statement, that I 

 have commonly observed it in pups of a weakly constitu- 

 tion and emaciated condition. 



The disposition to eat or gnaw some part of the body 

 is often shown to an alarming degree, but is seldom exhi- 

 bited save in the latter stage of the disease. The dog is 

 observed to lick one of its paws, or mumble at its tail, for 

 some days. The part is always one of the extremities, 

 and is evidently tormented with a violent itching which 

 cannot be allayed. The animal at length, irritated by 



