pathological changes (Yager and Scott 1985). The condition is of unknown aetiology and no plausible explanation for the nature and distribution of the lesions has been advanced (Walton and Scott 1982). We report a case of this unusual skin disease.

The affected horse was a normal 4-year-old Arab mare of nervous temperament. She was 1 of 10 mares and their foals on a 100 acre property on the south coast of New South Wales. The horses were run on a mixed pasture, hand-fed twice daily and housed at night. The lesions were first noticed in early summer as an area of rough coat just behind the left shoulder. Irregular linear groups of papules with a scaly, depigmented surface, and from which the hair was easily removed, developed and extended to 20 cm down the left side of the chest just behind the scapula. A diagnosis of a superficial mycosis was made but there was no response to topical therapy. Onchocercal filariasis (Pascoe 1989) was suspected, and avermectin B: administered. Some flattening of the papules followed but the lesions remained. About 2 months after the lesions were first noticed, 2 punch biopsies were removed for histopathological examination.

The biopsies were fixed in formol saline embedded in paraffin, and sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and with periodic acid Schiff reagent. In both biopsies, there was a heavy, diffuse infiltration of the dermis with eosinophils, lymphocytes and macrophages that extended as far as the deepest parts of the hair follicles and glands. Many eosinophils were partially degranulated. There was a pronounced intercellular oedema of the external root sheath of most hair follicles with acantholysis and eosinophil invasion of the most severely affected. Vacuola- tion and lysis of the glandular epithelium of some sweat glands

Avornec@, Merck Sharp and Dohrne (Australia) Pty ttd, South Granville. New South Wales 2142

were also observed. In a few sites, there was moderate intercellular oedema of the deeper layers of the epidermis, and occasional isolated, necrotic, shrunken, eosinophilic epidermal cells were seen in small intraepidermal vesicles. No fungi or microfilariae were seen.

The differential diagnosis of equine papular and nodular skin disease has been discussed by Scott (1987). The most common disease is nodular collagenolytic granuloma, in which single or multiple firm nodules develop in the skin of the neck, withers or back. There are characteristic multifocal areas of collagen degeneration with eosinophil-rich granulomatous inflammation, and sometimes dystrophic mineralization. Less common diseases, generally with an infectious, immunological or neoplastic basis, have a varied and overlapping clinical appearance but typical histopathological changes. Diagnosis of unilateral papular dermatitis depends on the presence of the characteristic unilateral skin lesions and histopathological changes (Yager and Scott 1985; Scott 1987). This case clearly satisfies these criteria.

Daily treatment with 250 mg prednisolone over the past 3 months has been associated with some further flattening of the papules and limited hair grwoth, but not with disappearance of lesions. Previously, similar unilateral lesions in a full brother and full sister to this mare disappeared after avermectin B, treatment. These lesions, however, were not biopsied.

References Pascoe RR (1989) - Equine Dermatoses, University of Sydney Post-

Scott DW (1987) - I n Current Therapy in Equine Medicine, ed by

Walton DK and Scott DW (1982) - Equine Praci 4 15 Yager JA and Scott DW (1985) - In Pathology of Domestic Animals,

(Accepted for publication I November 1990)

graduate Committee in Veterinary Science, p94

Robinson HE, Saunders, Philadelphia, p634

3rd edn, Academic Press, Orlando, p524

Obituary

Bruce Adam Forsyth B.V.Sc. Bruce died 24 June 1990 - he was 64. Bruce came to the

McMaster Laboratory form Hurlstone Agricultural College in 1943 to join the technical staff and worked in the bacteriology and parasitology sections. In 1944 he began the course in Veterinary Science and graduated in 1949 and was then appointed to the scientific staff as assistant to me in the parasitology section of the McMaster. He was an active member of the Manly Surf Lifesaving Club and in order to help finance his course at the University worked at delivering ice (not many refrigerators then), both occupations keeping him fit for keen participation in interfaculty rugby.

He and I both lived in Manly and often travelled together by ferry and bus, and so I came to know Bruce very well over the many years of our association both in his student days and later in parasitological work in laboratory and field. He was an enthusiastic and enterprising worker and while with CSIRO initiated and conducted a considerable range of field studies on the epidemiology of the helminthoses of sheep, especially in the Yass, NSW, district. During the very wet seasons in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s parasitic diseases presented very serious problems. The only effective anthelmintic then available was phenothiazine. There were many problems in formulation (development of stable liquid suspensions, particle size in relation to efficacy) and administration (dose rate, avoidance of staining of the fleece). Bruce was active in the wide range of investigations needed to solve these problems. After joining Imperial Chemical Industries in 1954 he continued to work on these problems. The field studies in the Yass district were designed to add to our knowledge on the seasonal patterns of behaviour of the several species of helminths in sheep, and thereby supplement, in a region

of non-seasonal rainfall, earlier work in regions having a pre- dominantly summer rainfall (New England and Central and Southern Queensland).

In the mid 1950’s support for field studies in CSIRO suffered waning enthusiasm from the administration, in spite of the many urgent problems concerned with the control of the parasitic diseases of sheep, and the McMaster Laboratory lost 3 of its staff. Bruce and Marion Scott went to ICI and Norman Graham to Coopers. These were serious depletions of staff: a compensation was the clear indication that early training and experience with CSIRO made these workers eminently desirable for translation into industry.

Bruce and Jenny were married in 1952 and in the 2 years before they moved to Melbourne my wife, Rita, and I enjoyed many vet- erinary social gatherings with them - the Faculty Ball was not complete without us! During the late 1940‘s and early 1950’s while I was lecturing in veterinary parasitology, Bruce helped with practical classes: an example of useful collaboration and training between CSIRO and University. While I was on an official visit for 4 months to UK in 1949, Bruce maintained the research work in parasitology and ‘kept an eye’ on my family in Manly.

When he went to 1C1 he worked at the Merrindale Research Laboratory at Croydon, under the direction of ‘Tommy’ Thomas, and was concerned with the multiplicity and complexity of problems which beset industry in the development, testing and application of new products, with the added responsibilities which derive from the ‘discipline of commercial success’. He was concerned with anthelmintics and insecticides, old and new, with the treatment of footrot and the regulation of fertility in farm animals. One of his close colleagues, Allan Taylor, as part of the eulogy delivered to the Probus Club to which both belonged, said, ‘His ability to demonstrate and communicate to others the eco- nomic control of animal parasites earned him recognition both in Australia and abroad: Bruce produced some 25 papers, mostly in the Australian Veterinary Journal on a variety of topics concerned with the need ‘to translate a concept into a useful agent:

Australian Veierinary Journal, Vol. 68, No. 3, March, 1991 123

KSF Bray B.VSc.

Michael Robinson, Bruce Forsyth and Hugh Gordon (left to right) in the Macquarie Marshes, New South Wales, in 1954 during a survey of sparganosis in feral pigs, and Spirometra erinacei in foxes, which earned them the nickname the “sparganauts”.

The recognition of his work and confidence in his ability brought an invitation from the Food and Agriculture Organiza- tion of WHO to demonstrate and facilitate the control of hel- minthosis in Iran. He was seconded to this post by IC1, and he and his family spent a year (1969-70) in Teheran.

Bruce found time for his hobbies, model railway, philately and his garden, and he was a true family man, devoted to Jenny, and to Ian, Meg and Heather. His later years were beset with ill-health, which probably denied him plans for post-retirement activities. He retired in 1984 after a fruitful life of diligent application, which enabled him to leave his mark on many facets of veterinary research.

I treasure my association with him and Jenny. In our times together in CSlRO we had many long and earnest discussions of the whole wide world of veterinary science in general and parasitology in particular, often as we travelled on the Manly ferry or worked in sheepyards. post-mortem room or laboratory, and after he went to ICI we had a continuing exchange of corres- pondence. Although there were almost 20 years age difference between us, we shared a ‘growing up together’ in his University days when I lectured to him, and examined him in parasitology and anatomy, and then in the all too brief CSlRO days.

There are many who will miss Bruce Forsyth and his friendship, help and counsel: we remember him for these and much more as our thoughts and sympathy are with Jenny and the family.

Hugh McL Gordon

Ken died in October 1989. He was a member of the first ‘big years’ in the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney; 13 graduated in 1932. He was a very active member of the student body and was President of the Sydney University Veterinary Society in 1931. One has special memories of Ken, and Arthur Clay, at faculty dinners, Ken singing with fine baritone gusto, Arthur ‘tickling the ivories’. I seem to recall Ken and Peter Kauzal giving us stirring duets.

Ken’s enthusiasm in the clinic saw an occasion when he had cornered a client, and as we attempted to eavesdrop gathered that he was expounding Ehrlich’s side-chain theory of immunity, exploiting what he had learnt from Professor Carne’s lectures!

Following graduation Ken was briefly in practice in Sydney before appointment as Stock Inspector (Veterinary Inspector nowadays) to Milparinka-Wanaaring Pastures Protection Board. In 1934 he moved to Hillston, and he and Esme were married in 1936. He moved to Hay in 1937 and remained there as Stock Inspector until 1961, when he moved on to Mudgee-Cassilis, where he continued to fulfill, with customary vigour and enthusiasm, the manifold duties of his calling until retirement in 1971, and then lived in Mudgee.

Ken was a keen musician and contributed to musical activi- ties in the several towns where he and his family lived. He was instrumental in establishing an Arts Council in Hay. Their eldest daughter, Margaret, who as a skilled musician was his accompanist in their contributions to opera and lieder. He was very interested in his garden, with special attention to roses and vegetables. I recall oranges from his garden in Hay. He was also a skilled artificer in metal, and Esme tells me of some beautiful pieces in wrought iron that adorn the home in Mudgee.

One remembers Ken as an enthusiastic and diligent student full of joie de vivre, and then carrying on these attributes into his life as a Stock Inspector where he, like his fellows, provided a quite remarkable service to the pastoral industries, and as became graduates of academe, contributing to the cultural and welfare needs of the communities in which they lived.

Vale Ken -strong in our memories for devotion to professional and civil obligations and to family as one joins in sympathy for Esme and the girls, Margaret, Jane and Susan, and grand- children.

Hugh McL Gordon

.-litsr~-ul/uri Ci7/erinur.~i Jortmal, Vol. 68, No. 3, March, 1991