22, 
Diseases of the Skin. 
8. S. CAMERON, M.R.C.V.S, Chief 
Veterinary Officer, Melbourne, in the 
Victorian “ Journal of Agriculture,” 
Skin Diseases.— Hide- 
bound and Chaffing—Itch (pruritis) 
Nettle Rash or Urticaria—Eczema, 
Rain-rot in Sheep—Mud Fever— 
Maullenders and Sallenders—Cracked 
Heels—Grease (Postular eczema)— 
Warts or Angleberries, 
1. NON-PARASITIC SKIN DISEASES 
Hidebound and Chafing. 
Non-Parasatic 
The term * hidebound” is applied to a 
condition of the skin in which it is dry, 
harsh, and tightly drawn over the sub- 
cutaneous structures instead of being 
soft, pliable and easily grasped by the 
hand. Such a condition is an indication 
- of unthriftiness and wasting; it is espe- 
cially marked in diseases of the digestive 
organs (@.g. worms) and in the emacia- 
tion stages of tuberculosis or other 
chronic disease in cattle, but may occur 
as & symptom in many other diseases. 
When in this condition the skin is par- 
ticularly liable to ‘+ chafe’’ and the hair 
becomes easily rubbed off wherever it is 
exposed to harness friction. 
Treatment.— Obviously the most ra- 
tional treatment is to overcome the 
disease of which hidebound is a symptom; 
but in those cases in which no serious 
systemic disturbance exists an attempt 
should be made to improve the general 
tone by the giving of tonics and by 
dietic alteratives, Tho miucilage of lin- 
seed is particularly valuable in such 
cases. It is made by boiling a pound of 
linseed ina gallon of water over a slow 
fire until a thickish slime is formed, of 
which half « pint or a pint may be given 
mixed with the feed at the evening meal. 
Carrots, green-stuff, and boiled barley 
are also useful. Such like changes should 
be supplemented by the giving of skin 
tonics of which Fowler’s solution of ar- 
senic is perhaps the best. Fowler’s 
solution may be made by boiling together 
14 drams each of arsenic and carbonate 
of potash in one pint of water until dis- 
solved, the resulting solution being made 
up to one pint by the addition of water. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Dose—one tablespoonful in feed twice 
a day. 
As an external application for chafes 
nothing is better than a liniment com- 
posed of equal parts of olive oil and 
water emulsified by the addition of 
a little carbonate of soda, 
ITCH OR PRURITIS, 
Itchiness is a symptom of some disease 
or affection of the skin itself or of some 
internal (bowel) irritation. For example, 
itchiness of the tail is often symptomatic 
of worms (oxyuris vermicularis) in the 
rectum, and it is a frequent symptom of 
indigestion and of intestinal worms. It 
is also present in mange; lousiness and 
other skin diseases. Want of grooming 
by allowing the accumulation of scurf 
and dirt isa frequent cause of itchiness 
of the tail and mane. 
For the subjugation of itchiness the 
cause mnst be ascertained and removed; 
if from intestinal worms these must be 
evactuated (see treatment for intestinal 
worms given later), To’ rid the mane 
and tail of scurf and dirt an excellent 
application isa smartly shaken mixture 
of kerosene (four tablespoonsful) and 
water (one pint). To allay itchiness of 
the skin prussic acid lotion is most effi- 
cacious—two drams of prussic acid to 
a quart of water is sufficiently strong. It 
should be sopped on to the itch part two 
or three times a day, and being a deadly 
poison care should be taken that it is 
not allowed within the reach of other 
animals or children, When used for 
dogs it is necessary to muzzle the 
animal so that he may not lick the part 
otherwise fatal poisoniug will result, 
(To be continued), 
—— 
Miscellaneous Items. 
The whole secret of intensive sheep 
husbandry lies in the working: out of the 
old adage of making two blades of grass 
grow where formerly only one grew. 
For sheep and Jambs there is no food 
that approaches rape in palatability and 
nourishment. Lambs will fatten on rape 
after weaning without any gain. They 
are ravenously fond of it. ' 
October 1, 1908 
The surest and best way to get good 
horses is to get rid of the poor ones, if 
you can afford it, and buy reasonably 
good mares, and then breed them up. 
lucerne performs an important part 
in the pig industry, and should be grown 
on all farms where this can be done suc- 
cessfully. 
Lucerne provides an element that brood 
sows require in their systems to bring 
forth their young with success at farrow- 
ing time. 
Charcoal given to animals. especially 
to poultry and acts upon the 
blood as a purifier, often being found of 
benefit when there is no definable 
disease. , 
swine, 
At the Government stud farms in 
France there are in all 3,350 stallions, of 
which 240 are thoroughbreils, the balance 
being half-breds and draught horses. For 
the purpose of the army France has in 
round figures 120,000 saddle horses and 
180,000 draught horses. 
Hivery word that is used in connection 
with the handling of a horse should have 
a meaning, and the first thing to be done 
is to teach him the meaning of each word 
while working him, and the next thing 
is so make him obey each word tothe 
fullest extent, 
The constitution of a horse may be 
weakened by making him carry a burden 
of useless flesh. Good grooming is as 
essential to the health of horses as judi- 
cious feeding and watering. All animale 
require a variety of food, and this should 
be considered in the ration of working 
horses, 
The trouble witha great many farmers 
is that they do not take their boys into 
partnership with them. ‘Teach the boys 
that your success means their success. 
Practice differs regarding the length of 
time the litter should remain with 
the mother, 
litters in the year she cannot suckle her 
litter for a period exceeding six weeks. 
When weaning do not shut the young 
pigs ina pen or barnyard, but let them 
have the run of a plenteous pasture, 
_ providing shelter from the hot sun, from 
inclement weather, and for aleeping.. 
If the sow is to raise two. 
a 
