324 WOUNDS OF THE CRUST AND SOLE. 



the synovial fluid (joint-oil) has escaped, but not to he if the in- 

 flammation of the parts is great." =^ 



PRICK OE, WOUND IN THE SOLE OR CRUST. 



This is the most frequent cause of quittor. It is evident that 

 the sole is very liable to be wounded by nails, pieces of glass, or 

 even sharp flints. Every part of the foot is subject to injuries of 

 this description. The usual place at which these wounds are 

 found, is in the hollow between the bars and the frog, or in the 

 i'rog itself. In the fore-feet the injury will be generally recognized 

 on the inner quarter, and on the hind-feet near the toe. In fact, 

 these are the thinnest parts of the fore and hind-feet. Much more 

 frequently the laminae are wounded by the nail in shoeing ; or if 

 the nail does not penetrate through the internal surface of the 

 crust, it is driven so close to it that it presses upon the fleshy parts 

 beneath, and causes irritation and inflammation, and at length 

 ulceration. When a horse becomes suddenly lame, after the legs 

 have been carefully examined, and no cause of lameness appears 

 in them, the shoe should be taken off". In many cases the oftend- 

 mg substance will be immediately detected, or the additional heat 

 felt in some part of the foot will point out the seat of injury ; or, 

 if the crust is rapped with the hammer all round, the flinching of 

 the horse will discover it ; or pressure with the pincers will ren- 

 der it evident. 



When the shoe is removed for this examination, the smith 

 should never be permitted to wrench it off', but each nail should 

 be drawn separately, and examined as it is draAvn, when some 

 moisture appearing upon it will not unfrequently reveal the spot 

 at which matter has been thrown out. 



Sudden lameness occurring within two or three days after the 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — This disease is much less common than it used 

 to be, in consequence of the improvement in shoeing and the discontinuance 

 of calkin (calks). It is generally caused by a tread or an external bruise, the 

 injury inflicted being deep-seated. It is also often produced by a festered 

 corn, the matter from which having no depending opening, spreads upwards 

 between the horn and the bone, and forms sinuses about the coronet in differ- 

 ent directions, and under and within the cartilages of the foot. With regard 

 to the cure, the first thing is to poultice well, after which an injection of the 

 solution of sulphate of zinc will often effect a cure. In other cases it is neces- 

 sary to lay open the sinuses or insert setons, bringing them out in some de- 

 pending position. We have successfully inserted setons at the coronet, bring 

 ing them out severally at the heels and the bars of the foot. When the car- 

 tilage is in a state of caries, it is desirable to produce a slough by means of 

 corrosive sublimate. By the adoption of these remedial measures, a cure cao 

 generally be effected ; for our own part, we have scarcely ever yet met with 

 a case of quittor which we have been unable to cure, th-- ugh sometimes the 

 treatment has been very protracted and troublesome. 



