ECZEMA. 



499 



action of the teeth. Arrived at this stage, the eczema becomes 

 attenuated and disappears in most cases ; in others it remains 

 stationary. Impetiginous and scabby forms succeed the papulous 

 stage. 



2. When eczema follows a regular course the papules are trans- 

 formed into vesicles. These last, which contain a clear liquid, are 

 sometimes isolated, at other times in small groups ; in the begin- 

 ning their volume is rarely of larger size than a millet-seed ; they 

 often pass unnoticed ; it is, besides, quite difficult to discover these 

 upon the hairy integument of the dog. Some dry up in forming 

 small crusts ; others burst ; they are torn by rubbing, and consti- 

 tute inflammatory centres, upon the surface of which the hairs stick 

 together and fall out. When the eczema rétrocèdes the diseased 

 surfaces become covered with thin scabs, the inflammatory pro- 

 cesses become attenuated, and the epidermis regenerated. Upon 

 dai;k-colored skin slightly pigmented spots persist for a long time; 

 they are vestiges of the receded vesicles. 



3. Eczema is more frequently irradiating ; the vesicles which 

 have become confluent are ruptured, and form red, moist, depilated 

 blotches {red eczema)^ covered with a serous, sero-plasmic or puru- 

 lent exudate, which is very sensitive to the touch ; they have a 

 remarkable tendency to spread to the neighboring healthy parts 

 (^consuming rash or serpiginous eczema); under the influence of fric- 

 tion the disease sometimes ends in purulent or hemorrhagic der- 

 matitis. The cure of red eczema is obtained through drying of the 

 exudate (scabby condition) and regeneration of the subjacent epi- 

 dermis, which takes place from the periphery to the centre of the 

 blotches. 



4. Vesicles are also quite frequently transformed into pustules : 

 they increase in size ; their contents are turbid and become puru- 

 lent (pustulous eczema). If disseminated or agminated, the pustules 

 become torn, and form in some places more or less extended sup- 

 purating surfaces. The hair is damp, agglutinated by the exudate, 

 and gathered in packed layers; the hairs fall out on the least pull- 

 ing, and many are completely detached. The diseased regions, 

 which are covered with a yellowish or greenish-yellow glutinous or 

 creamy pus, are the seat of an intense sensitiveness, and bleed at 

 the least contact ; the skin is much thickened {impetiginous eczema). 

 The cure takes place through desiccation of the exudate, which 

 forms crusts, under which suppuration may persist for a certain 



