18 
BURSATIE. 
medium ulcer. This is particularly the case amongst the 
hackney ponies, in which it is rare to see the circular papil- 
lated variety, and in whom the medium ulcers are of the 
commonest occurrence from the first. The activity of the 
disease is very variable. In some years the ulcers will recur 
with great rapidity, whilst other periodical outbreaks are 
less active, the disease appearing dormant, perhaps only 
showing itself in the form of a discharge from a central 
opening on the top of an old bursatic cicatrix. Bursatic sites, 
although healed, are liable at any time to become irritable 
and to be gnawed by the horse, this act showing beyond 
dispute that some irritative action is going on. In The 
Field of March 28rd, 1872, a correspondent who signs 
himself a “ Patriarch” states that bursatie consists of sores, 
and is called bursatie because it attacks subjects in the rainy 
season. However, my experience of the malady enables me 
to contradict this statement. I admit that there may be 
some outbreaks during the actual rainy season, but I assert 
that most of them take place before the actual rainy season 
sets in. The tubercles are formed prior to the rainy season, 
and remain in statu quo until about the month of May, when 
the skin covering them gives way, forming large ulcers, which, 
if allowed to go unhealed, as the majority of them are until 
the rains are well set in, are stimulated by the almost con¬ 
stant downfall of rain, and hence the popular error that bur¬ 
satie attacks subjects only in the rainy season. The same 
author further states that bursatie sores are not confined to 
any particular sites (this is totally incorrect), and that there 
are distinct symptoms of fever ascribable to the sore alone 
(this I have failed to observe). He remarks that the sores are 
obstinate to a degree quite unknown in Europe; to this I 
would reply by saying that the neglected circular ulcers, 
when they become papillated, are rather obstinate to heal, in 
consequence of their circular form and position on the legs-. 
But in “ Patriarch” ’s case, as with many others, the obstinacy 
of the sore is attributable to the ignorance of the would-be 
“ H3sculapius 99 in attempting to cover an egg-shaped growth 
by skin, with the application of carbolised oil, &c. I per¬ 
fectly agree with him that during the rains all sores are obsti¬ 
nate, and that wounds are very liable to take on an unhealthy 
character; and further, I would add that all sores in India, 
without reference to season, require a large amount of ex¬ 
perience and tact for their successful treatment. “ Patriarch” 
asserts correctly that the disease is peculiar to horses. I have 
carefully observed varieties of the as§ species, but have never 
yet seen “ bursatie 99 among them, although I learn from 
