142 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



application of caustic applied to other wounds and 

 sores of the foot ; when this is the case there will 

 be a division of the horn as it grows down, having 

 all the appearance of a sand-crack, or one portion 

 of the horny substance will overlap the other. 

 This is a very bad defect in the foot, and often oc- 

 casions lameness, and there is very great difficulty 

 in curing it. The coronary substance is that by 

 which the horn of the hoof is secreted ; conse- 

 quently what must be first attempted is to restore 

 it to the discharge of its healthy function. 



REMEDIES. Caustic has been used in many 

 instances, and found effectual ; but nevertheless it 

 is a dangerous remedy, as it has often proved very 

 injurious. Blisters have also been successfully tried, 

 but they are too often found not to be sufficiently 

 active. The remedy which has proved most suc- 

 cessful is the heated cautery carefully applied to the 

 injured part. The edges of the horn on both sides 

 of the crack should be thinned down, and a thick 

 plastering of pitch spread over the parts so as 

 to hold them closely together, as well as to support 

 the hoof. This plaster to be kept on undisturbed 

 for at least fourteen days, and then the parts 

 should be carefully examined, to ascertain the con- 

 dition of the coronet, and whether union of the 

 parts has taken place. Should adhesion not be 

 begun, then it must again be covered up and not 

 looked at for eight days, by which time it will 

 have adhered. During this treatment it would be 

 judicious to strengthen the hoof by the use of a 

 bar-shoe, only great care must be taken that there 

 is no bearing at, or immediately below, the separa- 

 tion of the horn. To secure this against such a 

 result, if the crust be naturally thick, accompanied 



