ECZEMA AND MANGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 9

ECZEMA AND MANGE.

lichen, or, as Professor Williams pre- I lerred to call it, "papular eczema," occurs chiefly on the legs of horses, and is popularly known as rat tails, the malady taking the shape of these animals' caudal appendages. Like other eczematous diseases, it commences ,as an eruption of small papules, forms a fluid, which presently discharges; and dries, to form a crust. The- crust, however, differs from other serosities or vesicular discharges in not peeling away and leaving the skin to resume its normal ondition. The permanency of these disiiguring rat tails would suggest some enronic proliferation of the cuticle partaking of the nature of warts, and they are oiten of removal when of long standing. Saturation with an alkali, as solution of potash (8.P.), causes the superficial layers to swell up, and gentle friction detaches them, after which lanoline ointment or other emollient will restore the function of the skin. A coloured solution of potash long held a reputation for destroying warts on human hands, and is no bad remedy for some of these thickenings which occur under the head collar of horses, and where the bridle presses, or the dog harness has a similar effect. Mallonders and eallanders are also a form of eczema, and chiefly affecting heavy breeds of horses, although by no means unknown in the private stable. It is only in the flexures of the knee and hock that this form of eczema, occurs, unless some forms of cracked heel are included. Behind the knee mallender .is the name applied, v in front of the hock sallander, and chronic troublesome sores and cracks ensue if neglected. There is, too, some sympathy or relationship between this eczeniatou 1 ; troublo and the feet, as it is found that drying up a thrush too rapidly often results in, or is followed by, mallenders, and healing- of the latter is succeeded by > eruptions in the flexures of the limbs. Tho injudicious use of beans and maize ould seem to be the principal exciting < ioses, and some of the inflammatory h sellings of the legs from too highly nitroonous food find vent in a discharge in "5 situations we have named. In many ermanently enlarged limbs of horses with < oar.se, fleshy legs and abundant hair, mal'.onders and 6allar.ders are persistent and progressive, and a chronic ulceraT ; ve condition is established which can never be wholly cured. Treatment in the early stage may be quite successful. The subject should have a bold purgative, as a ball of eloes, -to commence with, and in a mash' once or twice a week a dose of magnesium sulphate of two or more ounces. The sores should be cleansed with soap and water, mopped dry, and dusted over •with one part of exsiccated alum (two parts boracic acid and five parts of starch powder), applying this daily. Cases of long standing may be got under control and reduced to very little more than a slightly moist crack in the skin by the application of astringent and slightly caustio remedies. A very useful compound is that composed of 20gr of finely levigated red oxide of mercury, a dram of burnt alum, a dram of honey, and six drams of lard, applied two or three times a week.

There is one other condition of the lovier portions of the limbs by which many feathered legs are mined in appearance. It is leg mange, and due to a parasite, which commences operations about the pasterns and fetlocks, and raiely ascends above ■the hocks and knees. During the day time it is quiescent, but at night gives ris<» to constant itching. The stamping and rubbing which the victim indulges in, with & view to allaying .the, irritation, results in abrasions of the leg, fetlock, and coronets •where most easily 6truck by the opposite limb, and soon bald patches result, which quite spoil the appearance of a Sihire horse, whose feather is his glory. The symptoms of stamping the feet angrily and rubbing one leg over -the other are so common to the disease 'known as grease that parasitism is seldom suspected, and more likely than not some, diuretic remedies *r« pse-

scribed to "cool the system."' Some of the outward remedies for grease, as the sulphates of copper, zinc, and iron, chloride of zinc, and arsenical preparations destroy the leg mange mites upon the surface and reduce the degree of annoyance, and this confirms the error in diagnosis. A very large proportion of the so-called cases of incipient grease are in reality this localised mange, and capable of cure in a short time by simple measures. As with some other forms of skin trouble already alluded

to, the essential thing in treatment is to get below the scabs, scales, and debris created by the parasites, or caused by the patient's ' ill-directed efforts to dislodge them. Soft soap should be rubbed into the skin, commencing from the hoof and working upwards against the Jay of the hair, plastering it on very thickly and allowing ft to remain for 20 minutes to half ari hour,

after which it is to be washed with much warm water. The cuticle is by this means

raised, and the 10 per cent, lotion of chloride of zinc or other mange destroyer then come 6in contact with the most safely entrenched parasites. It is usual to find one good dressing of the kind stop the mischief, but for the sake of stragglers which may escape to breed it is well to repeat the operation in & week, or in hot weather in four or five days. — Field.