CRACKED-HEELS—GANGRENOUS DELMATITIS—GREASPL 651 
pyaemia; in this case the swelling rapidly extends upwards, often to 
the eibow or knee, becomes very painful, and is accompanied by high 
fever. The character of the process may at times vary; in certain years 
gangrenous dermatitis seems particularly malignant, and inclined to be 
complicated. The continuance of great pain after the necrotic portion of 
skin has separated is an ominous symptom. 
Treatment. As a preventive measure, the feet in winter, and especi¬ 
ally during thaws, should be kept as dry as possible, and care taken to 
protect them from the street mud, which macerates the epithelium, and 
favours infection and gangrene. The hair on the fetlock, and especially 
in the pastern-joint, may be anointed with a neutral fat like vaseline or 
lanolin, so as to keep out mud and water. This precaution can be 
strongly recommended. For a similar reason, the feet should be care¬ 
fully cleansed after work, and if possible dried ; an excellent plan being 
to rub them with dry sawdust, wood-wool, or peat-moss. As urine and 
stable manure also have a very injurious action, cleanliness in the stable 
should be insisted on, and after the floor has been swept a dry disinfectant 
powder should be used. Holes in the floors, in which urine accumulates, 
must be filled up. If horses with injuries like cracks or fissures about 
the feet are kept at work, the wounds should be carefully cleansed and 
smeared with tar or creolin ; and if the external temperature be below the 
freezing-point, a dressing may be applied. 
If gangrene has already set in, its further progress may be prevented 
or checked by placing the parts in a lukewarm bath of sublimate or 
creolin solution, with which the affected spot may be frequently washed. 
At night a bandage should be used, moistened with camphor, or 10 per 
cent, chloride of zinc solution. Moller had excellent results from apply¬ 
ing 1 to 8 per cent, solution of pyoktanin to the diseased spot by means 
of a mass of tow, fixed in position by a bandage. 
It is of importance to hasten separation of the gangrenous piece of 
skin; and if the entire piece cannot immediately be removed, loose 
portions at least should be cut off with scissors. The granulations are 
generally very abundant, and, being irritated by movements of the limb, 
are apt to become excessive and irregular. In such cases amyloform, 
glutol, or tannoform may be freely applied, the parts enveloped in a thick 
layer of cotton-wool, and a bandage applied with considerable pressure. 
At least once a day the dressing should be renewed, all hard fragments 
formed by drying of the powder and discharge being gently removed. 
When the wound becomes dry a little lanolin or other neutral lubricant 
should be substituted for the powder, the cotton-wool pressure dressing- 
being continued. As a rule, it is more necessary to restrain than to 
excite the formation of granulations. If the patient be moved too 
soon they become excessive, and fungous growths appear, which give 
