260 ILLUSTRATED STOCK DOCTOR. 



developed when the horse is not in a condition of good general healtlk , 

 but foul stables, while furnishing the irritating filth immediately to tli6 

 scat of this disease vitiate the air also, and thus tend to bring about « 

 two-fold trouble. 



It is believed to be sometimes due to the existence on the skin of pa^ 

 asitic plants and insects. 



The sure preventive is to keep the horse, if possible, in good general 

 condition ; and to confine him, when he must be confined at all, only in a 

 dry, clean, and well-ventilated stall. When he is forced to be worked 

 during the day in mud or slush he should be neither stabled nor turned 

 out to pasture until both his feet and his legs are well washed and thoroughly 

 «lried. 



How to know it. — Scratches are said to be unknown to European horse- 

 men ; but it is so well known in the United States as to render a descrip' 

 tion well nigh unnecessary. It appears on the back part of the foot, 

 srenerallv of the hind foot ; and extends from the heel to the fetlock. It 

 has been known entirely tq encircle the foot, and to extend upward to the 

 hock and to the knee. The parts are sometimes hot, swollen and sensi- 

 tive before any cracking or ulceration takes place ; then they become 

 dry and scaly, and crack open by ordinary motion. A horse thus affected 

 is apt to manifest a disposition to walk stiffly, with his hind legs, (when 

 the disease is seated in the hind heels), wider apart than ordinary, and to 

 throw his foot rather violently forward when an effort is made to exam- 

 ine it. 



It is often the case that at first there are little patches of a thick, dry, 

 scabby covering of the skin ; and these spread and inflame until they form 

 a solid mass of scab and matted hair. These scabs may be distinguished 

 from those which sometimes appear in other skin diseases by this, that 

 they have an unusual itchiness, which leads the horse to rub them as 

 much as possible ; and he often does this until they bleed and become 

 raw. This disposition of the suffering creature to scratch himself is said 

 to have originated the name by which the disease is known. 



What to do. In cases where the patient is in good condition, and the 



disease is in its incipient stage, a thorough cleansing of the parts witk 

 castile soap and warm water, and applying an emollient or softening 

 poultice for a day or two, with rest, will be sufficient. If there seems 

 to be feverishness of the system, a dose or two of Epsom salts to move 

 the bowels, given in doses of from one to three ounces at a time, well b« 

 beneficial. 



The following is for ordinary cases a most efficacious and easily used 

 •emedy : 



