BLOTCaa— BOILS. 27 



will be found most suitable. The aim should be, however, to pro- 

 duce a healthier state of the blood, to which end give the following : 

 3gr. to 5gr. of sulphate of iron, with 3 to 10 drops of lic[uor 

 arsenicalis. It wiU be necessary to keep the bowels freely opened 

 during the existence of the disease. If the dog is much emaciated, 

 he must have the Mild Purge, and receive good nourishing diet In 

 the form of broth, etc. As an outward application, the following 

 lotion will be found extremely useful in allaying the irritation and 

 assisting in recovery : 



Lotion for Blotch. — Take carbolic acid and glycerine (British 

 PharmaoopoBia), loz. ; laudanum, 2oz. ; water, IJ pints ; carbonate 

 of potash, 2dr. It should be applied over the whole surface of the 

 skin affected twice a day, and the dog be carefully washed every few 

 days with soap and warm water, containing a teaspoonful of 

 carbonate of soda to every quart of water, and afterwards very 

 carefully dried ; this will much facilitate a cure. Another useful 

 formula ia boracic acid, loz. ; laudanum, loz. ; whale oil, 14oz. ; but 

 it is a dirty and disagreeable thing to use. White naphthol ointment 

 is also good, but, being poisonous, a canvas-faced muzzle must be 

 placed upon the dog. 



Of course the kennel must be examined, any defective sanitary 

 ajrangements altered, and thorough cleanliness insisted on. The 

 dog's bedding should be changed at least every other day, and the 

 proper use of disinfectants in and about the kennel is of great service. 



I have often found glycerine alone cure blotch when very freely 

 rubbed into the skin twice a day, and nothing can be simpler, safer, 

 or cleaner. All cases, however, will not yield to it, and it should be 

 tried in combination with 2 or 3 per cent, of pure carbolic acid. 

 This may be used alone, or, where a large surface of skin is affected, 

 diluted with an equal bulk of water. Dressings of oUve oil or 

 vaseline are useful when the skin is hot and wrinkled. See also 

 Eczema. 



SOILS are not very common on the dog ; when they do appear, 

 a poultice of some kind should, if practicable, be kept constantly 

 applied, in order to bring the boU quickly to a head. It should then 

 be opened with a lancet, the matter well squeezed out, the part well 

 washed with tepid water, and then dressed twice daily with the 

 following ointment, which for convenience will be referred to as 

 Carbolic Ointment : Turner's Cerate {Ceratum calamince), loz. ; pre- 

 cipitated chalk, glycerine, and carbolic acid, of each 2dr. ; mix. 

 In the case of boils or any other eruption the state of the dog's 

 health must be considered. A cooling aperient drench, such as the 

 {oUowing, given every other day for a week or so, wUl usually prov^ 



