1. Salisbury, Two newly discovered skin diseases, 207 



diseased surface. The epidermic cells of the follicles and plane 

 surfaces are robbed of their normal nourishment, become diseased 

 and shrivelled, — and finally die and fall off in dry scales. 

 Frequently the irritation is so great, that Pus is formed in little 

 vesicles, — which become broken by scratching. 



Cause. The disease is purely local and parasitic and has 

 nothing to do with constitutional derangement. The cause is 

 simply a fungus ; a mucedinous growth, that developes primarially 

 in the epidermic cells saturated with the fermenting milk of the 

 cat, which, during nursing, becomes smeared over the noses and 

 faces of the kittens. It does not appear to be readily trans- 

 missable from the kittens to the old cat. It does not appear; 

 so far as at present known — to be a disease, prevailing to any 

 great extent among cats, save during the period of nursing and 

 from one to three months succeeding. This plant is unlike the 

 species developing in human milk. Neither is it like that which 

 developes in the fermenting milk of the cow. 



This fungus finds a fit soil — after it becomes once ani- 

 malized — in the skin of persons of all ages. The cells of the 

 epidermis, — howewer, — of the young are more tender and 

 better supplied with nourishment, than those of the mature and 

 old. Hence this disease more readily attacks, and more rapidly 

 spreads over the surface of the former. 



In ordinary ringworm — Trichosis furfuracae — the fungoid 

 cause exists mostly in the spore state. The plant does not ad- 

 vance, often , beyond its cell condition. Its growth seems to be 

 confined simply to cell multiplication by pullulation. In this 

 disease the plant cells multiply by pullulation, and these advance 

 to the filamentous stage of growth. These filaments are formed 

 running through among the cells of the epidermic layer. 



Treatment. This being a disease produced by a cryptogamic 

 cause, — any agent that retards the growth pf, or destroys 

 this kind of vegetation, — becomes a more or less useful remedy. 

 Among the remedies of this class may be mentioned, — Tinct. 

 ferri chlorici, — Tr. Jodine ; dilute sulphuric acid ; dilut. nitric 

 acid, dilute hydrochloric acid ; dilute nitromuriatic acid ; sulphurous 

 acid ; creasote ; ointment of the pernitrate of mercury ; dilute oint 

 of the pernitrate of mercury made with codliveroil ; carbolic acid 

 wash and ointment; solutions of the soluble sulphites, — strong 



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