DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 



329 



bolized cosmoline once a day until the healing is completed. If the 

 animal is in poor condition, give tonics — copperas, gentian, ginger, 

 and sulphur, equal parts by weight, 1 tablespoonful twice a day. If 

 the animal manifests a feverish condition of the system, administer 

 half an ounce of saltpeter twice a day, continuing it several days or 

 a week. 



FAULTY SECRETIONS AND ABNORMAL GROWTHS OF THE SKIN. 

 PITYRIASIS (SEBORRHEA, DANDRUFF, OR SCURF). 



This is a condition characterized by an excessive secretion of seba- 

 ceous matter, forming upon the skin in small crusts, or scales. 



Causes. — It is due to a functional derangement of the sebaceous 

 glands, usually accompanied by dryness and loss of pliancy of the 

 skin. The animal is hidebound, as it is commonly termed, thin in 

 flesh, inclined to rub, and very frequently lousy. The condition is 

 observed most often toward the spring of the year. Animals that are 

 continually housed, and the skins of which receive no cleaning, gen- 

 erally present a coat filled with fine scales, composed of epithelium 

 from the epidermis and dried sebaceous matter. This, however, is a 

 physiological condition, and compatible with perfect health. 



Symptoms. — Pityriasis may affect the greater portion of the body, 

 though usually only certain parts are affected — the ears, neck, rump, 

 etc. The skin becomes scurfy, the hairy coat filled with bran-like 

 gray or whitish scales. 



Treatment. — Nutritious food, such as oil-cake meal, bran, ground 

 oats, and clean hay. In the spring the disease generally disappears 

 after the animal is turned out to pasture. "When lice are present they 

 should be destroyed. 



ELEPHANTIASIS (SCLERODERMA). 



This condition consists in a chronic thickening of the skin, which 

 may affect one or more limbs, or involve the whole integument. It is 

 characterized by recurrent attacks of swelling of the skin and sub- 

 cutaneous areolar tissue. After each attack the affected parts remain 

 infiltrated to a larger extent than before, until finally the skin may 

 attain a thickness of an inch, become wrinkled and fissure d. In cat- 

 tle this disease is confined to hot climates. The predisposing cause 

 is unknown. 



EDEMA (ANASARCA OF THE SKIN). 



This is a dropsical condition of the skin and r u'aeutaneous areolar 

 tissue, characterized by pitting under pressure, the fingers leaving a 

 dent which remains a short time. 



Causes.— Edema generally results from a weakened state of the 

 system, arising from previous disease. It may also be dependent 

 upon a functional derangement of the kidneys, upon weak circula- 



