594 OVER-REACH. 



though extensive, is superficial ; and though the blow has 

 been heavy, from the yielding character of the structures 

 they repel the violence. The cuticle viz., the soft horn 

 covering is torn from the true skin and secreting surface, 

 and is detached above, forming a loose pending flap. 



Treatment. In our early days the custom with us was to 

 cut off at once all this detached horn, and then to bind up 

 the wound with tape and tow, wetted with some astringent 

 mixture. In latter years we have adopted a different course, 

 which is found preferable ; it consists in taking off the 

 shoes (always advisable when injury is sustained, which 

 gives rise to swelling in the region of the foot), and, placing 

 the foot in a pail of warm water, continuing to foment it for 

 some minutes, at the same time cleansing the wound by 

 removing all particles of foreign matter ; we then take an 

 ordinary bandage wrung out of warm water, first laying a 

 pledget of tow over the loose flap and whole wound, and 

 press the bandage round the coronet in the usual way, re- 

 peating the same process every 6 to 12 hours. From 48 

 hours to 3 days is long enough to keep the foot bound up. 

 Bathing it for a few minutes daily, and leaving the wound 

 exposed, is the plan we adopt subsequently, keeping the 

 horse meanwhile in a loose box, and in about six days 

 the bruise passes off, and the dead and detached substance 

 becomes shrivelled and easily distinguishable from sound 

 structures, and may be then cut off, the shoe applied, the 

 hoof rubbed with ointment, and the horse will be fit for 

 exercise or work. It may be asked, why not cut away all 

 detached horn at first ? Because we find economy in retain- 

 ing it ; it forms a- better protecting medium than any we 

 can substitute for it ; moreover, it is always well in the case 

 of wounds, where nothing is to be gained by the opposite 

 course, to let all remain until the line between the living 



