ON POULTRY LOUSINESS IN THE HORSE. 227 
Fifth Observation. 
The case of a harness mare who had been losing her coat for 
three weeks past, and was continually rubbing herself in her 
stall. She was stabled next to a poulterer’s, whose shop com- 
municated by means of cage-work with her habitation. 
Sixth Observation. 
An entire grey cart-horse, living in a stable with fourteen 
other horses. A neighbouring yard is filled with fowls, who 
are continually in the stable in search of food. The hen-house 
is far enough off ; and this is the only lousy horse in the stable. 
A confluent vesicular eruption is visible upon the head and 
neck, sides, flanks, and haunches, from whose surface the 
epidermis is destroyed, while it is issuing an albuminous demi- 
concrete serosity. Wiping away this serosity, we discover an 
agglomeration of little sub-epidermic sores, of a circular form, 
whose assemblage constitutes an ulcer analogous to what used 
to be called acute dartres ; but which, in the present case, we 
interpret to be the pedicular disease caused through the insects 
coming from the poultry. 
Were it not that we should multiply observations uselessly, 
we might add to the foregoing ; instead of which it is our 
intention to submit some cases which M. Demilly has related 
in the Reports of the Transactions of the Veterinary Society 
of Marne. 
After giving some striking cases which led to the discovery 
of the cause — for M. Demilly disclaims any knowledge of the 
disease having been pointed out before he discovered it — he 
(M. Demilly) concludes in these words : — 
“ In the presence of facts like these, it is impossible to deny 
the hurtful influence of hen-roosts or pigeon-houses proximate 
to or within stables where horses stand, and perhaps close to 
cow-houses and sheep-folds. This appears incontestable.” 
The foregoing collection of observations (continues M. Bouley) 
will, without doubt, appear sufficient to establish, irrefutably, 
that the cohabitation of horses with fowls is likely to produce in 
the former a disease of a vesicular nature, characterized by a 
loss of hair and a most insupportable itching. 
For the purposes of practice, this etiological fact by itself, 
such as it comes to us from the bare comparison of the circum- 
stances related, becomes an essential one; but, are we not 
permitted to extend our inquiries beyond such comparison, and 
seize, if we can, upon the material cause which proceeds from 
the habitations of fowls, and produces upon the skin of the 
horse the pruriginous affection we have been endeavouring to 
