446 



may be applied on a tliin bandage, covered in cold weather witli a dry 

 one The same may be nsed after the cracks appear, or a solntion of 

 sulpliurous acid 1 part, glycerine 1 part, and water 1 part, applied on 

 cotton and well covered by a bandage. In case these should prove 

 unsuitable to the particular case, the part may be smeared with 

 vaseline 1 ounce, sugar of lead 1 dram, and carbolic acid 10 drops. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE HEELS FROM A FUNGUS-GREASE-CANKER. 



This is a specific affection of the heels of horses, associated with the 

 oTowth of a parasitic fungus {Oldiiim laimcosis, dennajjhyfon), an 

 offensive discharge from the numerous sebaceous glands and m bad 

 cases the formation of red, raw excrescences {grcqyes) from the sur- 

 face It is to be distinguished (1) iromsim2>Je inflammation, m which 

 the special fetid discharge and the tendency to the formation of 

 "o-rapes" are absent; (2) from horsepox, in which the abundant exu- 

 date forms a firm yellow incrustation around the roots of the hair, and 

 is embedded at intervals in the pits formed by the individual pocks, 

 and in which there is no vascular excrescence; (3) from foot scabies 

 (man-e) in which the presence of an acarus is distinctive; (4) from 

 lymphan-itis, in which the swelling appears suddenly extending 

 around the entire limb as high as the hock, and on the inner side 

 of the thigh along the line of the vein to the groin, and m which 

 there is active fever, and (5) from erysipelas, in which there is active 

 fever (wanting in grease), the implication of the deeper layers of the 

 skin and of the parts beneath giving a boggy feeling to the parts, 

 the absence of the fetid, greasy discharge, and finally a tendency to 

 form pus loosely in the tissues without any limiting membrane as 

 in -ibscess Another distinctive feature of grease is its tendency to 

 implicate the skin Avhich secretes the bulbs or heels of the horny frog 

 and in the cleft of the frog, constituting the disease known as canker. 

 The predisposing causes of grease are essentially the same as those 

 of simple inflammation of the heel, so tliat the reader may consult the 

 preceding article, and though the specific fungus {Oidnnn hatracosis) 

 is essential to the disease, yet it usually remains inoperative unless 

 the field has been prepared by the coexistent predisposing factors. 

 Local irritants may cause simple inflammation, and may be essential 

 to the growth of the implanted germ, but without that germ it will 



not produce grease. 



The sumptoms vary according to whether the disease comes on sud- 

 denly or more tardily. In the first case there is a sudden swelling of 

 the skin in the heel, with heat, tenderness, itching, and stiffness, which 

 is lessened during exercise. In the slower forms there is only seen 

 a slight swelling after rest, and with little heat or inflammation for a 

 week or more. Even at this early stage a slight serous oozing may be 

 detected As the swelling increases, extending up toward the hock 

 or laiees the haii-s stand erect, and are bedewed by moisture no longer 



