DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 341 



of a Central core, which sloughs out, leaving a deep, round cavity that 

 soon heals. 



Causes. — Impoverished state of the blood, the result of kidney dis- 

 eases or of local friction or contusions. 



Symptoms. — Boils in cattle usual!}' appear singly, not in clusters; 

 the}' may attain the size of a hen's egg. The abscess begins as a 

 small round nodule, painful to pressiire, gradually increases in size 

 until death of the central portion takes place, then the surface of the 

 skin gives way to internal pressure, and the core is released and ex- 

 pelled. Constitutional symptoms are generally absent, unless the 

 iDoils occur in considerable numbers, or by their size involve, a gi-eat 

 amount of tissue. 



Treatment. — Poulticing to ripen the abscess. If this can not be 

 done, apply camphorated oil tw o or thre« times a day until the coi'e 

 is formed. As soon as the central or most prominent part becomes 

 soft, the abscess should be opened to release the core. Then use car- 

 bolized cosmoline once a day until the healing is completed. If the 

 animal is in poor condition, give tonics — copperas, gentian, ginger, 

 and sulphur, equal parts by weight, 1 tablespoonful twice a day. If 

 the animal manifests a feverish condition of the system, administer 

 half an ounce of saltpeter tAvice a day, continuing it several days or 

 a week. 



FAULTY SEORE'nONS AND ABNORMAL GROWTHS OF THF SKIN. 

 PITYRIASIS (SEBORRHEA, DANDRUFF, OR SCURF), 



This is a condition characterized by an excessive secretion of seba- 

 ceous matter, forming upon the skin in small crusts, or scales. 



Causes. — It is due to a functional derangement of the sebaceous 

 glands, usually accompanied by dryness and loss of pliancy of the 

 skin. The animal is hidebound, as it is commonly termed, thin in 

 flesh, inclined to iiib, and very frequently lousy. The condition is 

 observed most often toward the spring of the year. Animals that 

 are continually housed, and the skins of which receive no cleaning, 

 generally present a coat filled with fine scales, composed of epi- 

 thelium from the epidennis, and dried sebaceous matter. This, 

 however, is a physiological condition, and compatible with perfect 

 health. 



Symptoms. — Pityriasis may affect the gi'eat^r portion of the body, 

 though usually only certain parts are affected — the ears, neck, rump, 

 etc. The skin becomes scurfy, the hairy coat filled with branlike 

 gray or whitish scales. 



Treatment. — Nutritious food, such as oil-cake meal. bran, ground 

 oats, and clean hay. In the spring the disease generally disappears 

 after the animal is turned out to pasture, A\nien lice are present 

 thev should be destroved. 



