DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 325 



In the vesicular stage, when the skin is feverish and the epidermis 

 peeling off, thus exposing the exuding dermis, an application of 

 boric-acid solution, 2 drams of the acid to 8 ounces of water, often 

 relieves the smarting or itching, and also served to check the exuda- 

 tion and dry the surface. If this fails to have the desired effect 

 compound cresol, 1 ounce to 2 quarts of water, should be used as a 

 wash. Either of these washes may be used several times a day until 

 incrustation is well established. Then compound cresol, 1 ounce to 

 2 quarts of sweet oil, or the benzoated oxid of zinc ointment, giving 

 the affected surfaces a thorough application once a day, will be effi- 

 cacious. T\1ien the eczema is not the result of an external irritant, 

 it takes usually from one to two weeks to heal. 



In chronic eczema, when there is a succession of scabs, or scales, 

 indolent sores or fissures, the white precipitate ointment, nitrate of 

 mercury ointment, or blue ointment, mixed with equal parts of cos- 

 moline or fresh lard, may be applied every second day, taking care to 

 protect the parts so that the animal can not lick it off. 



In some cases the use of the following mixture will do well : Oil of 

 tar one-half ounce, glycerin 1 ounce, alcohol 1 pint. This is to be 

 rubbed in after cleansing the parts with warm water and soap. The 

 internal administration of arsenic often yields excellent results in 

 chronic eczema. Dissolve 1 dram of arsenic and 1 dram of carbonate 

 of potassium in 1 pint of boiling water, and give 1 ounce of this twice 

 a day in water, after feeding. An alkali internally may be of service. 

 As such, one may give 2 ounces of bicarbonate of soda twice daily. 

 Sublimed sulphur may also be tried in ounce doses twice daily. 



PUSTULES (IMPETIGO). 



Impetigo is an inflammatory disease of the skin, characterized by 

 the formation of distinct pustules, about the size of a pea or a bean, 

 without itching. The pustides develop from the papular layer of 

 the skin, and contain a yellowish-white pus. Afer reaching maturity 

 they remain stationary for a few days, then they disappear by 

 absorption and dry up into crusts, which later drop off, leaving 

 upon the skin a red spot that soon disappears. Occasionally the 

 crusts remain firmly adherent for a long time, or they may be raised 

 and loosened by the formation of matter underneath. The dry 

 crusts usually have a brown or black appearance. 



Causes. — Impetigo affects sucking calves, in which the disease 

 appears upon the lips, nostrils, and face. It is attributed to some 

 irritant substance contained in the mother's milk. Impetigo is also 

 witnessed among grazing animals, regardless of age, and it especially 

 attacks animals with white hair and skin. The mouth, face, and 

 limbs become covered with pustules, which may rupture in a few 

 hours followed by rapid and successive incrustations ; the scabs f re- 



