512 Veterinary Medicine. 



' is associated with a specific fungus, and in the horse Megnin ha& 

 described cases in which the surface of the skin and especially 

 the hair follicles show a mass of epidermic cells mingled with, 

 mycelium and an abundance of spores. 



Symptoms. The scurfy product and depilation may be found 

 in patches scattered indiscriminately over the body (generalized),, 

 or confined to particular regions (circumscribed) as to the head, 

 ear, crest, tail, or the parts that receive the friction of the harness. 

 It may commence as a dry, rigid, state of the skin under the- 

 headstall with loss of hair and the excess of dandruff. From, 

 this or from another point the extension takes place slowly and 

 with comparatively little irritation or itching. The hair is pulled 

 out with great ease, and from its spontaneous evulsion, more or 

 less baldness appears progressing slowly from the original centres 

 of the disease. It may leave, the whole crest divested of the- 

 mane, or the tail of its hairs (rat tail), or the ears may become 

 bare and scurfy. Again the parts subject to friction like the 

 back of the ears, the crest, in front of the shoulder, or the seat 

 of the saddle may be the main seats of depilation and baldness. 



It is to be distinguished from dry eczema mainly by its 

 tendency to spread over a larger area in place of confining itself 

 to circumscribed patches, and more particularly by the absence 

 of the marked thickness and rigidity of the skin which charac- 

 terize eczema. From acariasis it is distinguished by the lack of 

 the intense itching, of the tendency to more or less moist exuda- 

 tion and above all by the absence of the acari. 



Treatment. It is well to correct any disorder of any of the 

 internal organs, notably of the stomach, liver or kidneys, and to 

 encourage a free circulation in and secretion from the skin. To 

 fill the latter indication green food, ensilage, roots, sloppy mashes- 

 of bran, oilcake and the like may be given. Also bicarbonates 

 of soda or potash or other alkaline diuretics, and in certain ob- 

 stinate cases a course of arsenic. The alkalies tend to eliminate 

 offensive and irritant matters and to lessen the irritation in the 

 skin. A course of tonics is often valuable. 



Locally Cadeac recommends potash soaps rubbed well into the 

 affected parts. If this should fail some of the stimulant oint- 

 ments as of tar, oil of tar, oil of white birch, oil of cade, creo- 

 line, creosote, lysol, naphthalin, may be tried. Megnin strongly 



