igS Veterinary Medicine. 



itching, the scabby eruption and loss of fur, and mainly on the 

 discovery of the acarus. This is easily found on the inner side 

 of the scurf or scab when raised. The harmless commensal acari 

 cause no local irritation and even if present in connection with 

 scabs are not found on their inner surface. 



Treatment requires removal of the fur, the softening of the 

 scabs with soap, their removal, and then repeated dressings with 

 the ointment of sulphur and carbonate of soda. 



The hutches must be carefully disinfected, the litter being re- 

 moved and burned and the manure and left over fodder buried. 



PSOROPTIC ACARIASIS OF THE AUDITORY CANAL 

 IN RABBITS. OTACARIASIS. 



Otacariasis by psoroptes communis v. cuniculi. Distribution : Twenty- 

 five per cent, at Paris. Horse susceptible. Symptoms : Itching, scratching 

 of concha, tossing head, swelling, tenderness of ear, with yellow debris and 

 many acari ; ears lop, inappetence, wasting, diarrhoea, abortion, drowsiness, 

 vertigo, paralysis, wry-neck, fits. Treatment : Syringe with soapsuds and 

 apply benzine in oil, phenol in glycerine, or sulphur ointment. Disinfect 

 hutches. Keep from mangy horses or their stables. 



This is an invasion of the inner surface of the concha and the 

 external auditory canal by the Psoroptes Communis var. 

 Cuniculi. Being large (female .68 mm., male .35 mm. long) 

 they may be detected by the naked eye, among the debris, or still 

 better with a lens. Delafond found that 25 per cent, of rabbits 

 held by the Parisian dealers suffered in this way, and the affection 

 is common elsewhere. Mathieu cau.sed papules on the horse by 

 transferring the acarus from the rabbits ear, Cagny saw horses 

 attacked from living with affected rabbits, and Cadeac saw rabbits 

 suffer when placed in the same stable with mangy (psoroptic) 

 horses. It remains uncertain whether the disease so produced 

 would prove temporary or permanent. 



Symptoms. The affection is confined to the interior of the 

 conchal cartilage, though it may extend through the annular 

 cartilage, and even through the tympanic membrane. It begins 

 at the root of the concha as a slight exudation, with intolerable 

 itching, tossing of the head and ears and scratching them vio- 

 lently with the hind feet. The ear is sensitive to sneezing. After 



