SURFEIT. 413 



SURFEIT. 



Large pimples or eruptions often appear suddenly on the skin 

 of the horse, and especially in the spring of the year. Occasion- 

 ally they disappear as quickly as they came. Sometimes they 

 8jem to be attended with great itching, but at other times, the an- 

 noyance is comparatively little. When these eruptions have 

 remained a few days, the cuticle frequently peels off, and a small 

 scaly spot — ^rarely a sore — is left. This is called a surfeit, from 

 its resemblance to some eruptions on the skin of the human being 

 when indigestible or unwholesome food has been taken. The 

 surfeit is, in some cases, confined to the neck ; but it oftenei 

 spreads over the sides, back, loins, and quarters. The cause is 

 enveloped La some obscurity. The disease most frequently appears 

 when the skin is irritable during or after the process of moulting, 

 or when it sympathizes with any disorder of the stomach. It 

 has been known to follow the eating of poisonous herbs or mow- 

 burnt hay, but, much oftener, it is to be traced to exposure to 

 cold when the skin was previously irritable and the horse heated 

 by exercise. It has also been attributed to the immoderate drink- 

 ing of cold water when the animal was hot. It is obstruction of 

 some of the pores of the skin and swelling of the surrounding sub- 

 stance, either from primary affection of the skin, or a plethoric 

 state of the system, or sympathy with the digestive organs. 



The state of the patient will sufficiently guide the surgeon as 

 to the course he should pursue. If there is simple eruption, 

 without any marked inflammatory action, alteratives should be 

 resorted to, and particularly those recommended for hide-bound 

 in page 407. They should be given on several successive nights. 

 The night is better than the morning, because the warmth of the 

 stable will cause the antimony and sulphur to act more power- 

 fully on the skin. The horse should be warmly clothed — half an 



considerable admixture of eastern blood, and most of them are immediately 

 derived from an Arab or a Turkish horse. This, indeed, is the principal or' 

 only use of the eastern horse in this country. It is vain to expect any 

 improvement in the speed of our race-horses from foreign admixture, for 

 every attempt of the kind for some years past has been unsuccessful. The 

 circular carcase, arched neck, good shoulders and fore legs, high and excel- 

 lent trotting action, are, however, quaUfications which our thorough-breds 

 cannot supply, and are truly valuable in animals required for getting car- 

 riage-horses. The white Arabian horse is, therefore, the very animal re- 

 quired for getting photon horses, and, if put to large mares, are also well 

 adapted for perpetuating handsome and valuable carriage-horses. There 

 are also some excellent cart-horses of a gray color ; some of massive proper 

 tions, and others of moderate size, and njore active. The iron grays and 

 roans are generally cleaner about the legs, and more compact tlian the 

 mottled greys. 



