RURAL VETERINARY SECRETE 109 



SCALY SKIN DISEASE (Pityriasis) 



This afifection is characterized by an excessive production and 

 detachment of dry scales from the surface of the skin (dandruft). 

 It is usually dependent on some fault in digestion and an imperfect 

 secretion from the sebaceous glands, and is most common in old 

 horses with spare habit of body. Williams attributes it to food 

 rich in saccharine matter (carrots, turnips) and to the excretion of 

 the skin of oxalic acid. He has found it in horses irregularly worked 

 and well fed, and advises the administration of pitch for a length of 

 time and the avoidance of saccharine food. Otherwise the horse 

 may take two or three ounces of Bovolax in moist food three times 

 flaily to relax the bowels. Then follow with one to two tablespoon- 

 fuls of Sanguitone (National) in moist food twice or three times 

 daily until the patient has made a complete recovery. 



BARNYARD ITCH (Ring Worms) 



Barnyard itch, often called ringworms, usually appears as white 

 scurfy abrasions around the eyes, neck, shoulders and sometimes 

 the bodies of young stock during the winter and spring. 



TREATMENT 



The parts afifected should be cleaned with a stiff brush, warm 

 water and soap. When dry, rub well with Dermasote. Repeat in 

 a week or ten days if necessary. Usually one application is suf- 

 ficient for a complete cure. Dermasote is non-irritating and non- 

 poisonous. Therefore, it is abst)lutely safe to apply without fear of 

 poisoning animals when licking each other. 



ITCH IN HORSES 



Itching is due to one (jf tv\o causes. First, there may be a 

 parasite on the skin, such as ordinary lice or intradermal parasites 

 which irritate the skin and bring about the itching. It may be due 

 to a humor in the blood, such as erythema or eczema. If it be the 

 former, a two per cent solution of lysol should be applied to the 

 entire surface which appears to be affected, twice or three times a 



