SAND-CRACK. 299 



by paring the sole and rasping the quarters, and using the shoe without 

 nails on the inner quarter. This is a case, liowever, which must be turned 

 over to the veterinary surgeon, for he alone, from his knowledge of the 

 anatomy of the foot, and the precise seat of the disease, is competent to 

 treat it. If attacked on its earliest appearance, and before ulceration of 

 the membrane of the joint has taken place, it may be radically cured, but 

 ulceration of the membrane will be with difficulty healed, and caries of the 

 bone will for ever remain. Blistering the coronet will often assist in pro- 

 moting a cure by diverting the inflammation to another part, and it will 

 materially quicken the growth of the horn ; and a seton passed through the 

 frog by a skilful operator, and approaching as nearly as possible to the seat 

 of disease, has been serviceable. 



In cases of old contraction, attended by a short and feeling step, neurot- 

 omy, or the cutting out of a portion of the nerve, (for an explanation of 

 the nature and effects of which, see page 110,) may be resorted to with 

 decided advantage. Not only will the lameness be removed, but, by the 

 foot being again brought fully and firmly upon the ground, the inner side 

 of the shoe being unfettered by nails, a portion of the contraction may be 

 removed by the sole being allowed to descend and the foot to expand at each 

 contact with the ground. 



Even when the navicuJar joint is particularly suspected, if there be no 

 apparent inflammation, (and that would be readily detected by the heat of 

 he foot,) neurotomy may be practised, with the hope of alleviating the suf- 

 ferings of the animal, and thus removing a portion of the lameness ; but if 

 the lameness be extreme, either witli or without contraction, and especially 

 if there be heat about the foot, the operation is dangerous. There is, pro- 

 bably, ulceration of the membrane — possibly, decay of the bone ; and the 

 additional friction to v/hich the parts would be subjected, by the freer action 

 of the horse, the sense of pain being removed, would cause that ulceration 

 or decay to proceed more rapidly, until the foot would be completely disor- 

 ganized, or the tendon would be gradually worn through by rubbing against 

 the roughened surface of the bone. 



SAND-CRACK. 



This, as its name imports, is a crack or division of the hoof from above 

 downward, and into which sand and dirt are too apt to insinuate themselves; 

 or, as some say, because it most frequently occurs in sandy districts, the 

 heat of the sand, applied to the feet, giving them a dispoaition to crack. 

 They occur both in the fore and the hind feet. In the fore feet they are 

 usually found in the inner quarter (see g, p. 254,) but ooassionally in the 

 outer quarter, because at the quarter is the principal streamer effort towards 

 expansion in the foot, and the inner quarter is weaker than the outer. In 

 the hind feet the crack is almost invariably found in the front, because in 

 the digging of the toe into the ground in the act of drawing, the principal 

 stress is in front. 



Tills is a most serious defect. It indicates a brittleness of the crust, 

 sometimes natural, but oftener the consequence of mismanagement or 

 disease, which, in spite of every means adopted, will probably be the source 

 of future annoyance. On a hoof that has once been xhus divided no 

 dependence can be placed, unless, by great care, the natural suppleness of 

 the horn has been restored and is retained. 



Sand-crack may happen in an instant from a false step or over-exertion ; 

 and therefore a horse, although, he may spring a sand-cra^k within an hour 

 after the purchase, cannot be returned on that account. 



