672 



DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 



guano (Miiller). The skin is thick, stiff, very hard, and wrinkled.. 

 All the bristles become loose and fall out ; at times they are agglu- 

 tinated in tufts. The acari hide themselves under the scabs ; it is 

 quite difficult to recognize them upon the living animal. 



The treatment consists in softening the scabby masses with green 

 soap or glycerin, and applying tar ointment or sulphur ointment 

 on the diseased regions. 



/. Manges of the Dog". 



Saecoptic mange. This is produced by the Sarcoptes squamî- 

 ferus, and is a disease extremely prevalent in certain countries. 

 In Berlin, among 100 sick dogs, ten have this trouble. During 

 the year 1886-87, out of 8399 animals which were presented at 

 the dog clinic of the Berlin School, 639 were affected by sarcoptic 

 mange. The '^dog homes'^ (boarding kennels) contributed in a 

 large measure to its dissemination. 



Symptoms. The appearance generally on the head, forehead,, 

 the base of the ears, the orbits, and sometimes on the abdominal 

 and lower pectoral regions, the root of the tail, the elbows and feet,, 

 and exceptionally upon other regions (genital organs). Ordinarily 

 it spreads very rapidly over the whole surface of the body ; in one 

 month the entire skin may be invaded. Its manifestations vary 

 according to the degree of resistance of the integument. 



At the beginning of the trouble we detect spots especially on 

 surfaces where the skin is bare, which are similar to fleabites, and 

 are located upon the lower abdominal region, as well as on the 

 inner aspect of the legs, where the integument is very thin. The 

 action of friction and rubbing often produce a diffuse redness of 

 the skin. On the surface of the skin where the bites are located, 

 small pimples of the size of a millet-seed or lentil are developed, 

 which may be transformed into vesicles. These latter are fre- 

 quently observed in considerable numbers, spread upon the whole 

 surface of the body ; in the majority of cases they are ruptured, 

 producing large moist surfaces (moist mauge) ; in others, a simple 

 epidermic desquamation is observed (dry mange), less frequently 

 the vesicles pass into a pustulous state. The pustules are ordinarily 

 found upon the thin skin of the abdomen and of the inner aspect 

 of the legs ; they present sometimes a dark central point as if pro- 

 duced with a small needle, and corresponding with the parasite. 

 Vesicles and pustules dry rapidly and form yellowish-gray scabs, 



