KINaWOEM. 141 



of medicines or special forms of food, given with the view of im- 

 proving the general health of the animal or the health of his skin ; 

 we should limit constitutional treatment to those cases in which 

 the disease has produced debility that calls for relief. 



DISINFECTION. — Horses infected with mange should be strictly 

 isolated from healthy ones. The bedding, after it has been used, 

 should be removed and burnt, or deposited in some place where 

 it would not be a source of contagion. The stall or box and its 

 fittings should be scrubbed and washed out with a plentiful supply 

 of boiling water, and afterwards with a solution in water of 

 chloride of lime (1 to 10), creolin (1 to 6), or of corrosive sub- 

 limate (J oz. to 1 gallon). The clothing, dusters, brushes, curry 

 combs, bits, stirrup irons, curb chains, etc., should be placed for 

 a few minutes in boiling water, or immersed in one of the solutions 

 just mentioned. We should bear in mind that the corrosive sub- 

 limate solution has an injurious action on iron and brass work. 

 Articles of leather may be placed in boiling water for about half 

 a minute, or into the solution of creolin or of corrosive sublimate. 

 If the panels of saddles which have been in contact with mangy 

 horses cannot be disinfected, either by being placed in boiling 

 water or in an antiseptic solution, they may be kept in a moderately 

 heated oven (say, about 200*^ F.) for half an hour, or destroyed. 



Parasitic Ringworm (Tinea tonsurans). 



DEFINITION. — Parasitic ringworm is due to the invasion of a 

 fungus (vegetable parasite), which is met with on horses all over 

 the world, and which has many varieties, as we may see by refer- 

 ring to Cadeac's " Encyclopedic Veterinaire." I think it is more 

 common among Irish horses, than among those of Great Britain, 

 It is a mild disease, which readily yields to proper treatment, and 

 which will often disappear of its own accord, especially under condi- 

 tions of cleanliness and good grooming, because its food consists of 

 the scales given off by the skin, and consequently their removal 

 starves it. It is also seen on men, cattle, dogs, cats, and other 

 animals. 



This fungus penetrates into the hair follicles, in which it sets up 

 inflammation, and attacks the hairs, making them dry and brittle, 

 so that they readily break. 



CONTAGIOUSNESS AND VITALITY.— This disease is very con- 

 tagious among horses ; the chief means of infection being saddlery, 

 harness, and stable implements. I have seen frequent instances 

 of saddles which had been used with animals suffering from ring- 

 worm, produce the disease in several other horses upon Avhom they 



