CAXKER OF THE FOOT. 195 



proud- flesh sprout up, they should be freely touched with a 

 stick of nitrate of silver, commonly called caustic. The 

 caustic may be forced into the spongy growth freely, so as to 

 destroy it at once. 



A physic every four or five days will be of advantage. He 

 should have, once a day, in his feed, an alterative. Equal 

 parts of sulphur and j^owdered sassafras, a table-spoonful to 

 be given at a dose, will answer the purpose very well. 



CANKER OF THE FOOT. 



A morbid or diseased condition of the sensitive sole, or of 

 it and the sensitive frog, causing the separation of the horny 

 sole, and a growth of fungus flesh to sprout up and occupy its 

 place, has been called canker. 



Sjjmjjtoms. — As canker is generally a secondary disease — that 

 is, results from other diseases having progressed until the 

 sensitive sole and sensitive frog become diseased — the earlier 

 ■symptoms would be such as attend those diseases. The dis- 

 eases which more frequently result in canker are quitter, 

 corns, and thrush. Great tenderness of the bottom of the 

 foot, and lameness of the severest character, attend from the 

 first of the disease. And these, of course, increase as the 

 horny sole and frog become absorbed or wasted away by the 

 increased fungus growth which takes their place. Indeed, 

 the symptoms of canker may be said to steadily progress, from 

 bad destruction of the bottom of the foot and lameness, to 

 worse and worse, until the foot is entirely destroyed or the 

 animal dies. 



It may be distinguished from thrush by the fungus or proud 

 flesh in it only occupying the place of the frog, wdiile in 

 canker it extends to the bars and sole. From quitter, by the 

 absence of fungus growth in quitter, while it may be properly 

 so called, it is, indeed, canker, and nothing else. 



Causes. — Thrush, quitter, and corns have been spoken of as 

 running into canker, or causing it. Bruises and punctures 



