346 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



layer of the skin, and is highly contagious, being readily transmitted 

 from one animal to another. This fungus consists of spores and fila- 

 ments. The spores being the most numerous are round, nucleated, and 

 seldom vary much in size. They are very abundant in the hair follicle. 

 The filaments are articulated, waving, and contain granules. This dis- 

 ease is productive of changes in the root and shaft of the hair, render- 

 ing them brittle and easily broken off. 



Symptoms. This disease becomes manifested by the formation of cir- 

 cular patches on the skin, which soon become denuded of hair. The 

 cuticular layer of the skin is slightly inflamed, and vesication with 

 exudation occurs, followed by the formation of scaly, brittle crusts 

 The patches appear silvery gray when incrusted, and are mostly con. 

 fined to the head and neck. It is a common disease among young cat- 

 tle in the winter and spring. Very early in the development of the 

 patches the hairs split, twist, and break off close to the skin. This 

 disease is attended with more or less itching. It is communicable to 

 man. 



Tinea favosa is due to another fungus, the Achorion Sckonleinii. This 

 enters the hair follicle and involves the cuticle surrounding it, small 

 crusts from which increase in diameter and thickness and then become 

 elevated at their margin, forming a cup-shaped scab, the favus cup, 

 which gives the disease its distinctive character. The number of these 

 cups varies from a few to many hundreds. The hairs involved become 

 ' brittle and broken, fall off with the crusts, leaving small bald patches. 

 The crusts are of a pale or sulphur yellow color at first ; as they grow 

 older they turn darker, or to a brown color. This form of ringworm has 

 a peculiar odor, resembling that of mice or musty straw. It is occa 

 sionally communicated to cattle by man, mice, cats, etc., all being sub 

 ject to this disease. 



Treatment. Remove all crusts by washing with soap and water, then 

 apply acetic acid, sulphur ointment, or nitrate of mercury ointment 

 once a day. Cleanse the stable and whitewash it to destroy the spores 

 scattered by the crusts. 



WOUNDS OF THE SKIN. 

 SNAKE-BITES. 



Three varieties of snakes are poisonous in this country the Crotalm 

 or rattlesnake, Trigonoceplialus or cotton-mouth, and t\\e,Elapsfulvius, 

 a small snake of the South. Snake bites on cattle generally occur 

 about the head, feet, or limbs. A close inspection will reveal the marks 

 where the fangs of the reptile entered the skin. When the poison has 

 been freely ejected in the wound excessive pain is soon manifested, 

 quickly followed by swelling, which diffuses itself extensively over 

 the surrounding surface. The tumefaction is doughy to the touch 

 and of a purple color. Extreme prostration sets in and the animal may 



