INFLAMMATION OP THE SKIN. 437 



cially severe in the forms which attack the roots of the mane and tail, 

 and there the disease is often so persistent and troublesome that the 

 horse is rendered virtually useless. 



The bites of insects often produce a papular eruption, but in many 

 such cases the swelling extends wider into a buttonlike elevation, 

 one-half to an inch in diameter. The same remarks apply to the 

 effects of the poison ivy and poison sumac. 



Treatment. — ^In papular eruption first remove the cause, then apply 

 the same general remedies as for simple congestion. In the more 

 inveterate cases use a lotion of one-half ounce sulphide of potassium 

 in 2 quarts water, to which a little Castile soap has been added; or 

 use a wash with one-half ounce oil of tar, 2 ounces Castile soap, and 

 20 ounces water. 



INFLAMMATION WITH BLISTERS, OR ECZEMA. 



In this the skin is congested, thickened, warm (white skins are red- 

 dened) , and shows a thick crop of little blisters formed by effusions of 

 a straw-colored fluid between the true skin and the cuticle. The blis- 

 ters may be of any size from a millet seed to a pea, and often crack 

 open and allow the escape of the fluid, which concretes as a slightly 

 yellowish scab or crust around the roots of the hairs. This exudation 

 and incrustation are especially common where the hairs are long, 

 thick, and numerous, as in the region of the pastern of heavy draft 

 horses. The term eczema is now applied very generally to eruptions 

 of all kinds that depend on internal disorders or constitutional con- 

 ditions, and that tend to recurrences and inveteracy. Eczema may 

 appear on any part of the body, but in horses it is especially common 

 on the heels and the lower parts of the limbs, and less frequently on 

 the neck, shoulder, and abdomen. The limbs appear to be especially 

 liable because of their dependent position, all blood having to return 

 from them against the action of gravity, and congestions and swell- 

 ings being common, because of the abundance of blood vessels in this 

 part of the skin, and because of the frequent contact with the irritant 

 dung and urine arid their ammoniacal emanations. The legs further 

 suffer from contact with wet and mud when at work, from snow and 

 ice, from drafts of cold air on the wet limbs, from washing with 

 caustic soaps, or from the relaxing effects of a too deep and abundant 

 litter. Among other causes may be named indigestion and the pres- 

 ence of irritant matters in the blood and sweat, the result of patent 

 medicated foods and condition powders (aromatics, stimulants), green 

 food, new hay, new oats, buckwheat, wheat, maize, diseased potatoes, 

 smut, or ergot, in grains, decomposing green food, brewers' grains, or 

 kitchen garbage. The excitement in the skin, caused by shedding 

 the coat, lack of grooming, hot weather, hot boiled or steamed food, 



