ABC GUIDE TO CANINE AILMENTS. 
The only medicine you need use is an occa- 
sional dose of castor-oil, say once a week, or when 
the dog is constipated. Parrish’s syrup of the 
phosphates will help to strengthen the constitu- 
tion, in conjunction with Virol. Bone-meal does 
good in these cases. Spratts’ Patent, I think, 
make this. 
Skin Diseases.—In the whole range of dog 
ailments included in the term canine pathology 
there are none more bothersome to treat success- 
fully nor more difficult to diagnose than those of 
the skin. There are none either that afford the 
quack or patent-nostrum monger a larger field 
tor the practice of his fiendish gifts. If I were 
to be asked the questions, “Why do dogs suffer 
so much from skin complaints?” and “ Why does 
it appear to be so difficult to treat them?” I should 
answer the first thus: Through the neglect of their 
owners, from want of cleanliness, from injudicious 
feeding, from bad kennelling, and from permit- 
ting their favourites such free intercourse with 
other members of the canine fraternity. Over- 
crowding is another and distinct source of skin 
troubles. All diseases arose spontaneously at one 
time, and Nature is still busy in the manufacture 
of new disease germs. As a scientist I cannot 
help believing this, but it is equally true that we 
can employ means to prevent disease. 
My answer to the second question is that the 
layman too often treats the trouble in the skin 
as if it were the disease itself, whereas it is, gener- 
ally, merely a symptom thereof. Examples: To 
plaster medicated oils or ointments all over the 
skin of a dog suffering from constitutional eczema 
is about as sensible as would be the painting white 
of the yellow skin in jaundice in order to cure 
the disordered liver. 
But even those contagious diseases that are 
caused by skin germs or animalcules will not be 
wholly cured by any applications whatever. Con- 
stitutional remedies should go hand in hand with 
these. And, indeed, so great is the defensive 
power of strong, pure blood, rich in its white cor- 
puscles or leucocytes, that I believe I could cure 
even the worst forms of mange by internal 
remedies, good food, and tonics, etc., without the 
aid of any dressing whatever except pure cold 
water. 
Now the microscope is a valuable aid to the 
diagnosis of skin diseases, but it can only be 
useful in the hands of a skilled dermatologist, 
and such an individual is rare indeed, even in the 
ranks of the medical profession, while he is 
seldom to be found among ordinary vets. There- 
fore the conclusion at which I arrive and which 
I write in italics at the end of this brief article 
on skin ailments will, I think, be acquiesced in by 
all sensible readers. 
In treating of skin diseases it is usual to divide 
them into three sections: (1) The non-contagious, 
(2) the contagious, and (3) ailments caused by 
external parasites. 
THE NON-CONTAGIOUS.—(A) ERYTHEMA.—This is 
a redness, with slight inflammation of the skin, 
615 
the deeper tissues underneath not being involved. 
Examples: That seen between the wrinkles of 
well-bred Pugs, Mastiffs, or Bull-dogs, or inside 
the thighs of Greyhounds, etc. If the skin breaks 
there may be discharges of pus, and if the case 
is not cured the skin may thicken and crack, and 
the dog make matters worse with his tongue. 
Treatment.—Review and correct the methods of 
feeding. A dog should be neither too gross nor 
too lean. Exercise, perfect cleanliness, the early 
morning sluice-down with cold water, and a 
quassia tonic. He may need a laxative as well. 
Locally.—Dusting with oxide of zinc or the 
violet powder of the nurseries, a lotion of lead, or 
arnica. Fomentation, followed by cold water, 
and, when dry, dusting as above. A weak solu- 
tion of boracic acid (any chemist) will sometimes 
do good. (B) PRURIGO.—Itching all over, with or 
without scurf. Sometimes thickening. 
Treatment.—Regulation of diet, green vege- 
tables, fruit if he will take it, the morning cold 
douche, brushing and grooming, but never 
roughly. Try for worms, and for fleas. (C) 
EczeMa.—The name is not a happy one as ap- 
plied to the usual itching skin disease of dogs. 
Eczema proper is an eruption in which the formed 
matter dries off into scales or scabs, and dog 
eczema, so-called, is as often as not a species of 
lichen. Then, of course, it is often accompanied 
with vermin, nearly always with dirt, and it is 
irritated out of all character by the biting and 
scratching of the dog himself. I have seldom if 
ever seen a case of simple eczema, so the dog- 
owner or vet. may give it any name he pleases so 
long as he cures it. 
Treatment.—Must be both constitutional and 
local. Attend to the organs of digestion. Give 
a moderate dose of opening medicine, to clear 
away offending matter. This simple aperient may 
be repeated occasionally, say once a week, and 
if diarrhea be present it may be checked by the 
addition of a little morphia or dilute sulphuric 
acid. Cream of tartar with sulphur is an ex- 
cellent derivative, being both diuretic and dia- 
phoretic, but it must not be given in doses large 
enough to purge. At the same time we may give 
thrice daily a tonic pill like the following :— 
Sulphate of quinine, 16 to 3 grains; sulphate 
of iron, % grain to 5 grains; extract of hyoscya- 
mus, 16 to 3 grains; extract of taraxacum and 
glycerine enough to make a pill. 
Locally.—Perfect cleanliness. Cooling lotions 
patted on to the sore places. Spratts’ Cure. 
(N.B.—I know what every remedy contains, or 
I should not recommend it.) Benzoated zinc oint- 
ment after the lotion has dried in. Wash care- 
fully once a week, using the ointment when skin 
is dry, or the lotion to allay irritation. 
(2) CONTAGIOUS SKIN DISEASES.— These are 
usually called mange proper and follicular mange, 
or scabies. I want to say a word on the latter 
first. It depends upon a microscopic animalcule 
called the Acarus folliculorum. The trouble 
begins by the formation of patches, from which 
