316 KENNEL DISEASES. 
It may be due entirely to local causes which irritate the skin, as too fre- 
quent washing, especially with soaps that are strongly alkaline, using one of 
the popular lime and sulphur dips for fleas or mange, a comb that has sharp 
teeth, or the application of irritants in ointments, lotions, liniments, etc. In 
the largest proportion of cases, however, the causes are manifestly internal, and 
the subjects are victims of disease or derangements. Acute attacks in which 
there is very high fever, and the same runs for several days, often leave for a 
time the skin very dry, and it is soon covered with small, fine scales. Indiges- 
tion that has persisted for several weeks is illustrative of the causative effect 
of derangements, for in such cases this skin trouble is quite prone to appear. 
It is also often attributable to faulty management, as a denial of sufficient pure, 
fresh water, the giving of poor food, or food not wisely chosen, or too scanty 
a diet. 
It may, indeed, be accepted that in all cases of this form of pityriasis in 
which the cause is not external or in the skin itself, some impairment of the 
health exists which must be overcome before a cure can be rightly expected. 
In very many cases it will be necessary to employ local treatment. A very 
crude but often effectual application is composed of whale-oil and sulphur, two 
drachms of the latter to every ounce of the former. 
A less offensive preparation, and one that acts even better than the foregoing, 
is the following: 
Salicylic acid, one drachm; borax, one-half an ounce; balsam Peru, one- 
half an ounce; vaselin, four ounces. Apply freely once daily, rubbing it well 
into the skin. 
When this or the oil and sulphur mixture is being employed, after the third 
or fourth day the patient should be thoroughly washed, some non-irritating 
soap, like Castile or glycerin, being used in the operation. A return can then 
be made to the same preparation if necessary, or there may be applied instead 
a five per cent alcoholic solution of chloral hydrate, with which the scaling 
parts should be drenched daily. This is a very sure remedy against the forma- 
tion of small scales, and may even be used from the first, which is advisable 
where the patients are house-pets; butea previous application of one of the 
oily preparations for a short time would be wise, since, in consequence of the 
itching and scratching, there is commonly some eczema associated, and it must 
be overcome. 
FAVUS. 
Favus is a parasitic disease, characterized by the formation of sulphur- 
colored, cup-shaped crusts. At the beginning the eruptive spots present 
simply circles of scales; and herein they have some resemblance to ringworm. 
