CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 119 
of the President’s observations on the Skin Epizootic was then 
resumed. 
Mr. Hunting said that he gathered from the minutes just read 
that the affection was termed Ecthyma; if so, was he to understand 
it as an affection similar to that in the human subject—papules 
running on to pustules, followed bysuppuration and scab forma¬ 
tion ? If so, it was allied to a disease he had noticed lately, not 
only in his patients, but in his own yard among nearly all the 
horses. It seemed to be conveyed by the saddle, crupper, or 
harness generally, as the shoulder, back, or top of the rump, was 
the most affected. It was noticeable also that simple treatment 
was effectual, warm water, fullers’ earth, and glycerine being used. 
Some skin diseases were difficult to name specially, in others 
no mistake could be made, such as mange or ringworm. In some 
cases the scabs were pretty distinct till they reached maturity, 
when a number ran together, forming a rather nasty sore. 
The Chairman, regretting he had not heard the President’s 
remarks in introducing the subject, said he had had great 
experience of the subject during the last nine months, especially 
in large studs. In some cases no treatment was required; others, 
again, were very troublesome, especially in high-conditioned 
animals. Had also had some hundreds of cases where no maize was 
given. In the difficult cases lead lotion and carbolic wash, with 
fullers earth, afforded quick relief; internally he began with a 
dose of physic, subsequently gave arsenic and copper, with speedy 
results; the boils disappearing in about ten days. Of its con¬ 
tagiousness he had no doubt. 
Mr. Shaw said that in a case now under treatment there was an 
immense slough in the shoulder. He gave arsenic and applied zinc 
lotion. The disease was taken by contact with a recent purchase. 
Mr. Daniel said he would only observe that he did not regard 
the maize feeding as a cause of the disease, as when it first 
commenced the tram horses were not fed on it at all. He had 
some doubts as to its contagiousness, because of instances where 
horses exposed to it had not taken the disease. 
Mr. Charles considered it clearly contagious. He lately attended 
two thoroughbred mares, out of town, driving down with his own 
pony, till then perfectly healthy. The pony was put up, and while 
waiting a cloth was thrown over him, which, though it belonged 
to the establishment, he could not say had been on the affected 
animals, but three days after the pony was badly diseased, and he 
could instance authentic cases from the saddle. 
Mr. Daniel said he did not mean to say that the disease was 
non-contagious, but to point out a fact worth knowing, viz. that 
all were not affected though they rubbed against diseased horses. 
Mr. Hamilton said all animals, like the human subject, were 
