OBSERVATIONS MADE IN CANINE MEDICINE. 
311 
the tissues themselves by rendering natural evaporation impos¬ 
sible, and the normal secretion and desquamation of the cells 
has been quite ample to give the nitrogenous elements required 
for the activity of the micro-organisms. 
Thus I maintain that the frequent douches of water, and the 
applications of agents dissolved in water, as almost universally 
indicated in text-books for the treatment of canker, is not only 
not indicated, but extremely detrimental to the condition. 
We thereby attempt to control an inflammatory state of the 
skin by the very agent which has been most instrumental in its 
production. 
To this error in treatment more than to any one other, per¬ 
haps, may be attributed the reason for the large number of these 
cases which go on from simple acute otitis, to chronic and pro¬ 
liferation dermatitis, perichondritis, etc., even in the hands of ex¬ 
tremely careful practitioners, who, while realizing the importance 
of antiseptic treatment, fail utterly in its method of application. 
When called upon to treat eczema madidans in other parts 
of the body, we would scarcely devise a line of treatment involv¬ 
ing the free use of water, but desiccating antiseptics instead. 
That constitutional tendencies in certain animals may ore- 
dispose to this condition I admit, but such are unimportant as 
compared with anatomical peculiarities. 
That changes in the circulation incidental and inseparable 
to such conditions, as, for instance, may be expected where dogs 
swim much in water, especially that of a low temperature, may 
and no doubt does act as a predisposing cause physiologically, I 
believe, but that it is often the direct and sole cause I greatly 
question, and especially so since we know from experience that 
just as we easily produce the condition in dogs which naturally 
enjoy great immunity by checking evaporation artificially, so 
can we upon the other hand effectually prevent this condition, 
in even the long-eared hunting dogs, which may be called upon 
to work almost steadily in ice cold water, provided we care¬ 
fully, and thoroughly, dry the ears out with sterilized absorbeut 
cotton each night, and by turning the ears up over the head and 
