MANGE. 



555 



to conquer, while in the horse this same dermatosis, when it is 

 limited, is rapidly brought under control by the action of most 

 anti-psoroptics. If the prognosis is particularly serious in general- 

 ized sarcoptic and psoroptic manges, it is much less so when these 

 affections are located upon a limited region, and it is altogether 

 mild for symbiotic mange. 



The state of nutrition of the animals has a corresponding rela- 

 tion more or less favorable to the extension of mange and to the 

 therapeutic intervention. Young, weak, and emaciated subjects do 

 not stand energetic treatment well. The temperature, season, con- 

 dition of the coat, and individual sensitiveness are also circum- 

 stances which must be reckoned with. The anti-psoroptic bath of 

 the sheep, for example, could only be used with advantage during 

 the warm season. Abundant epithelial productions (dandruff) 

 often render a cure impossible ; all practitioners have observed that 

 sheep mange is extremely hard to cure when care is not taken to 

 shear the animals beforehand. The sensitiveness of certain species 

 to the action of anti-psoroptic medicaments is well known : carbolic 

 acid frequently produces poisoning in the cat ; baths are dangerous 

 for this animal,^ as well as for the goat. Localization of mange in 

 the neighborhood of sensitive and important organs (upon tlie eye- 

 lids, for instance) may be an obstacle to the cure by rendering the 

 application of certain drugs impossible. Finally, the age of the 

 disease and the possibility of a new infection must be taken into 

 consideration. 



Treatment. Mange can only be cured by the use of anti- 

 psoroptics. Among these agents, which are very numerous, the 

 least active are the alkalines : potash lye (soda, potash, green soap, 

 ash lye), quicklime, hypochloride of lime, sulphate of potash, 

 ammonia, ammoniacal urine of the ox, etc. All these remedies 

 soften the scabs and squamse ; they are used concurrently with 

 others, which are more efficient, in order to facilitate the penetra- 

 tion of these latter into the thickness of the skin. The various 

 sulphur preparations are also harmless ; when alkalines are present 

 they produce sulphate of hydrogen, which is very toxic for the 

 acari. Balsam of Peru and styrax are advisable in certain 

 cases. As more powerful anti-psoroptics we must mention the 

 products of dry distillation of animal or vegetable substances: 



1 We must here add that sarcoptic mange in the eat often ends in death — sometimes 

 in a very short time. — l. t. 



