296 TRANSMISSIBILITY OF TINEA TONSURANS. 
the somewhat remarkable fact, that in the centre of the 
invaded surface the skin is healthy, being surrounded by 
a ring of variable dimensions, which alone is the diseased 
part. 
Lafosse admits that on the same animal the two varieties 
of the disease may frequently be witnessed at the same time. 
Among army horses in this country, tinea tonsurans is 
not a very rare malady, though, as a rule, it appears among 
them from contagion. Remounts join affected with it, or it 
is obtained in billet stables in rural districts, when regiments 
are moving from one station to another. 
The disease is always most prevalent among agricultural 
stock, and is an indication of a neglect of hygiene ; it 
appears more especially during cold and damp seasons, when 
the animals, debilitated by bad food, are lodged in dark dirty 
dwellings and not groomed. Their skins, thus prepared, be¬ 
come a favorable soil for the reception and growth of the 
sporules or spawn of the fungus—a kind of mushroom bed, 
in which these find all that is necessary for their vigorous 
development. Is there any relation between the sporules of 
tinea tonsurans and those which constitute mouldy forage ? 
Though tinea tonsurans more frequently affects young 
than old animals, yet it is by no means uncommon in the 
latter ; only last year I saw a very aged horse belonging to a 
farmer in Warwickshire, which had its neck and body closely 
covered with crusts and patches. 
The treatment of the affection in young vigorous animals is 
usually quickly and completely successful; but in those which 
are poor, old, and in a state of marasmus, it is not so easy to 
restore the skin to its normal condition. Alkaline dressings, 
preparations of tar or carbolic acid, corrosive sublimate pom- 
mades or lotions, and nitrate of silver, have all been found 
suitable remedies. With troop horses I have employed a 
strong tincture of cantharides with advantage. In all cases, 
however, hygienic measures must be chiefly relied upon. 
Good food, cleanliness, and abundance of daylight are certain 
preventives. WithAows kept during the winter in a filthy 
state in dark sheds, the malady frequently disappears spon¬ 
taneously when they are turned out to graze in the open air 
in the spring. 
These remarks on tinea tonsurans will, I hope, fitly 
supplement those which have recently appeared in the 
Veterinarian relative to the observations on tinea favosa by 
Professor Saint-Cyr, and the excellent and valuable com¬ 
munication of Mr. Macgillivray, of Banff, in the number 
of this journal for March. 
