CORNS. 305 



stopped, and a poultice placed over all, if the inflammation seems to require 

 it. On the following day a tliin pellicle of horn will frequently be found 

 over a part or the whole of the wound. This should be, yet very lightly, 

 touched again with the caustic ; but if there be an appearance of fungus 

 sprouting from the exposed surface, the application of the butyr must be 

 more severe, and the tow again placed over it, so as to allbrd considerable, 

 yet uniform pressure. Many days do not often elapse before the new 

 liorn covers the whole of the wound. In these extensive openings, the 

 Friar's balsam will not often be sTiccessful, but the cure must be etiected 

 by tlie judicious, and never too severe use of the caustic. Bleeding at the 

 toe, and pliysic, will be resorted to as useful auxiliaries when much 

 inflammation arises. 



In searching the foot, to ascertain the existence of prick, there is often 

 something very censurable in the carelessness with which the horn is cut 

 away between the bottom of the crust and the sole, so as to leave little or 

 no hold for the nails, while some months must elapse before the horn will 

 grow down sufficiently far to aflbrd the foot its natural ease, or for the shoe 

 to be securely fastened. 



When a free opening has been made below, and matter has not broken 

 out at the coronet, it will rarely be necessary to remove any portion of the 

 horn at the quarters, although we may be able to ascertain by the use of 

 the probe that the separation of the crust extends for a considerable space 

 above the sole. 



CORNS. 



In the angle between the bars c, p. 283, and the quarters, the horn of 

 the sole has sometimes a red appearance, and is more spongy and softer 

 than at any other part. The horse flinches when this portion of the horn 

 is pressed upon, and there is occasional or permanent lamenes§. This 

 disease of the foot is termed corns : bearing this resemblance to the coi'n 

 of the human being, that it is produced by pressure, and is a cause of 

 lameness, but differing from it in that the horn, answering to the skin of the 

 human foot, is thin and weak, instead of being thickened and hardened. 

 When it is neglected, so much inflammation is produced in that part of the 

 sensible-sole, that suppuration follows, and to that quittor, and the matter 

 either undermines the horny-sole, or is discharged at the coronet. 



The cause is pressure on the sole at that part, by the irritation of which 

 a small quantity of blood is extravasated. The horn is secreted in a less 

 quantity, and of a more spongy nature, and this extravasated blood becomes 

 inclosed in it. 



This pressure is produced in various ways. When the foot becomes 

 contracted, the part of the sole inclosed between the external crust which 

 is wiring in, and the bars which are opposing that contraction (see cut, p. 

 283), is squeezed as it were in a vice, and becomes inflamed ; hence it is 

 rare to see a contracted foot without corns. When the shoe is suiFered to 

 remain on too long, it becomes embedded in the heel of the foot : the exter- 

 nal crust grows down on the outside of it, and the bearing is thrown on this 

 angular portion of the sole. No part of the sole can bear continued 

 pressure, and inflammation and corns are the result. From the length of 

 w-ear, the shoe sometimes becomes loosened at the heels, and gravel insin- 

 uates itself between the shoe and the crust, and accumulates in this angle, 

 and even eats into it and wounds it. The bars are too frequently cut 

 away, and then the heel of the shoe must be bevelled inward, in order to 

 answer to this absurd and injurious shaping of the foot; and by this slant- 

 »/ig direction of the heel of the shoe inward, a"" unnatural disposition to 



