342 INFLAMMATIONS. 



Blotch, or surfeit, shows itself in the shape of scabby lumps of 

 matted hair, on the back, sides, head, and quarters, as well as oc- 

 casionally on the inside of the thighs. They vary in size from a 

 ten cent to twenty-five cent piece, are irregularly round in shape, 

 and after about three or four days, the scab and hair fall off, leav- 

 ing the skin bare, red, and slightly inclined to discharge a thin 

 serum. The disease is not contagious, and evidently arises from 

 gross feeding joined very frequently with want of exercise, and 

 often brought out by a gallop after long confinement to the kennel. 

 The appropriate treatment is to remove the cause by giving mild 

 aperients (11), (13), or (14), with low diet and regular exercise, by 

 the aid of which, continued for some little time, there is seldom 

 any difficulty in effecting a cure. 



An eruption between the toes, similar in its nature and cause to 

 "blotch," is also very common, showing itself chiefly at the roots 

 of the nails, and often making the dog quite lame. In bad cases, 

 when the constitution is impaired by defective kennel arrange- 

 ments, the sores become very foul, and are very difficult to heal. 

 The general health must first be attended to, using the same means 

 as in " blotch " if the cause is the same. Touch the sores with 

 bluestone, which should be well rubbed into the roots of the 

 nails. When the health is much impaired and the sores are in a 

 foul state, give from five to eight drops of liquor arsenicalis with 

 each meal, which should be of good nourishing food. This must 

 be continued for weeks, or even months in some obstinate cases. 

 After applying the bluestone, it is often well to rub in a very little 

 tar-ointment ; then dust all over with powdered brimstone. 



Foul mange, resembling psoriasis in man, is an unmanageable 

 disease of the blood, requiring a complete change in the blood be- 

 fore a cure can be effected. I am satisfied that it is hereditary, 

 though probably not contagious. For example, I have seen a 

 bitch apparently cured of it, and with a perfectly healthy skin, 

 produce a litter of whelps all of which broke out with mange at 

 four or five months old, though scattered in various parts of the 

 country. The bitch afterwards revealed the impurity of her 

 blood by again becoming the subject of mange. I should there- 



