LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
707 
those periods, change of diet, &c. The autumn is the most prolific 
season of grease, from the fact of animals being confined in close 
stables, and bad atmospheres, immediately after coming from grass, 
and having an entire change of keep. It remains for us to inquire 
also if those noxious vapours, always so close to the hind extre- 
mities, do not become absorbed locally, and impregnate the tissues, 
having perhaps an affinity for some of the latter, unite with them, 
and so form a compound poison and detrimental to the animal 
economy, for have we not already seen the power of the skin to 
absorb gases. 
I have had occasion to notice before now the tendency of horses 
engaged in removing night soil to contract this disease ; we are, 
fortunate in having one amongst us who can refute or corroborate 
my testimony in this instance, I allude to our worthy secretary, 
Mr. Reynolds ; if it is so, is it due to the absorbtion of a gaseous 
irritant, or the actual contact of wet and irritating matter? Con- 
stitutional we know it is, therefore hereditary. 
I certainly agree with Professor Gamgee that frequent trimming 
of the legs is an exciting cause of both grease and cracked heels, and 
if they must be trimmed, I believe a run over with the singeing iron 
afterwards would prove beneficial in sealing up the ends of the hair 
and protecting the deeper seated parts from the action of the air, 
pure or foul. 
Grease is said to be contagious, it is a sequel of debilitating diseases 
and dropsy, and not unfrequently terminates in farcy and glanders. 
It is frequently caused from want of exercise in plethoric animals, 
from oedema and weed, treads or injuries, cold and wet, and from 
firing or severe blistering ; and when I add, the inattention to which 
the hind legs are subject from the groom, on account of the danger 
incurred ; and in some cases the moist and uncleanly state of their 
situation in the stall, and their being farthest removed from the 
centre of circulation, I think I shall have mentioned most of the 
causes of grease, and likewise dwelt sufficiently long on them before 
such a practical body of men. 
The treatment of this disease differs in its various stages, for 
instance, in the simple or cedematous, if the cause is plethora, I 
should apply dry poultices of hot salt and meal, with a little tincture 
of iodine poured on to the poultice, the heat of the salt causing fumes 
ofiodine against theskin, stimulating theabsorbentglands to increased 
action, I should take a small quantity of blood and administer a dose 
of physic ; 'after the purging has ceased, give the following alkaline 
medicines alternately, iodide of potassium, carb. of ammon., and ni- 
trate of potash ; should this treatment, however, not prove successful 
in preventing ulceration, I recommend the same treatment as for the 
wounds in cracked heels — meal poultices and blackwash where the 
discharge is oily — if the cracks communicate under the cuticle I 
would join them with the sealpel. If we have to treat this disease 
in a low conditioned animal we must on no account bleed or purge, 
or we should be likely to produce farcy and glanders, but we may 
give with advantage daily one drachm of cupri sulphas, one drachm 
