822 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



When the pus has been discharged cleanse the wound and its surroundings with a 

 sponge and warm water, and afterwards wash two or three times a day with a solution of six 

 teen grains of chloride of zinc to a pint of soft water. If it does not heal readily under this 

 treatment it may sometimes be necessary to insert a seaton, as in cases of fistulas of long 

 standing. 



Pneumonia. (See INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.) 

 Quarter-Crack. (See SAND-CRACK.) 



Ringbone. This disease is so called because it constitutes a bony growth around the 

 pastern bone. It frequently spreads quite rapidly, and not only involves the pastern bones, 

 but the cartilages of the foot. It is generally found among heavy draft horses and such as 

 are overworked on hard roads and pavements, although, like bone spavin, a tendency to this 

 disease may be hereditary, and occasionally a young colt will be found with this bony 

 enlargement. The treatment should be similar to that for bone spavin (which see). 



Roaring. This is an unnatural sound made by some horses when drawing the air into 

 their lungs, especially while traveling fast, and results from some obstruction of the trachea 

 or windpipe. It is due to various causes, the principal of which is the continued use of a 

 tight check-rein, which keeps the head of the animal in an unnatural position, compressing 

 the larynx until it becomes permanently distorted, and does not permit a free passage of air 

 into the lungs. A tight throat-latch will also produce the same result. Chronic cough and 

 catarrhal colds sometimes terminate in roaring. When this disease is once established it is 

 difficult to cure. The best treatment that we can recommend is to remove the cause as far as 

 possible by discontinuing the use of the check, and permit the throat-latch to be worn as 

 loose as practicable. This disease may be regarded as hereditary. 



Sand-Crack. This is a separation of the laminse of the hoof, forming a crack up and 

 down its wall. When it occurs in the front part of the hoof it is called a &quot;toe-crack,&quot; and 

 when on one side, &quot; quarter-crack.&quot; It usually begins at the coronet, the thin edge parting 

 and extends until it often divides the entire hoof. It more frequently occurs in the inner 

 quarters than elsewhere, and is often caused by improper shoeing. It also indicates brittle- 

 ness of the hoof, which is due to a certain extent to its quality, also to diseases in this locality, 

 the frequent wetting and drying of the feet, dry, hot weather, impaired nutrition, overwork, 

 low condition of the animal, and impure state of the blood. 



This difficulty should receive attention in its early stages, and the animal given entire 

 freedom from work. Nutritious food should also be given in liberal quantities, and the best 

 sanitary conditions observed in stable management. We believe in interfering as little as 

 possible with a sand-crack, except to keep it free from sand and dirt. There should be no 

 cutting, firing, or rasping, as sometimes recommended. An application of the solution of 

 three grains of chloride of zinc to an ounce of water twice a day, together with daily wash 

 ing with Castile soap and warm water, will prove very beneficial. Castor or linseed oil 

 applied to the external surface of the hoof will also counteract the brittle tendency of the 

 hoof in a great measure. (See BRITTLE HOOF, on a previous page.) 



If the animal is to be used, the crack should be filled with lint saturated with the solu 

 tion previously recommended, which should be kept in place with a piece of cloth covered 

 with tar, which will keep out the gravel and other foreign substances. This should be 

 removed and the crack washed out at night. If the crack extends through the crust so as to 

 cause lameness, it will require considerable time to complete a cure, and such are serious cases. 

 The more a horse is used that has a cracked hoof, the more danger is there of increasing the 

 difficulty. It is a good plan to turn a horse out to pasture, if it occurs in summer, and 

 permit him to remain there until completely cured. In severe cases it may be necessary to 

 apply a blister to the coronet, just above the crack. 



