ACASUS DEMODEX FOLLICULORUM. 403 



the purulent bloody contents escape, and in it and under the 

 membrane we find hundreds of acari. 



The itching, as a rule, is never very great, as in sarcoptes mange, 

 and in some cases not even present. When the affected cutaneous 

 regions are scratched or rubbed, the patients, as a rule, resent it 

 and do not derive the pleasure that scratching gives in sarcoptes 

 mange. The disease spreads very slowly, and only in very rare 

 instances does it cover the whole body. The parts that are affected 

 finally heal, but the skin remains thick, denuded of hair, marked 

 in some places by scars or cicatrices, and also by cracks and 

 wrinkles. In some cases we may have a dark pigmentation 

 marked with warty projections. When there is any itching pres- 

 ent the appearance of the cutis may be changed materially by 

 secondary eczema. The appetite is very rarely affected, the animal 

 eating well, although some cases, in spite of good food, have shown 

 the animal to have an impoverished, unhealthy look. 



The squamous form' is seen in the neighborhood of the eyes, but 

 it may show itself in other places of the body. It is a normal 

 cutaneous inflammation accompanied by falling out of the hair and 

 great accumulation of scabs. The hair drops from the affected 

 places; the skin is only slightly reddened, but covered with thick 

 scabs. If these places are squeezed, the parasites can be pushed 

 out of the skin very rapidly. The easiest way to obtain the para- 

 site is to rub the blunt end of a knife over the affected parts, and 

 the microscope will aid you in distinguishing this disease from 

 simple scaly eczema. 



The prognosis is generally unfavorable, and it is almost impos- 

 sible to reach the parasites. This is especially the case with the 

 squamous form, which is always considered the worst form of 

 parasitic mange. 



Therapeutics, (a) Treatment of the Pustular Form. When 

 pustules are present they must be squeezed and emptied every day, 

 and at the same time apply the antiparasitic agents already men- 

 tioned with a brush. The animals, as a rule, show great pain and 

 object to it, but to obtain any good results this must be followed 

 up patiently. Any of the solutions may be used, as one is as good 

 as another, but we must remember that where we have an opening 

 directly into the deep portions of the skin that reabsorption of 

 poisons through the membrane is much easier, consequently it is 



