THRUSH. 329 



appear to be rendered in the slightest degree tender by it, and 

 therefore the horse may not be considered by many as un^'^uiid. 

 Every disease, however, should be considered as legal unsound- 

 ness, and especially a disease which, although not attended with 

 present detriment, must not be neglected, for it will eventually 

 injure and lame the horse. 



Tlie progress of a neglected thrush, although sometimes slow, 

 is sure. The frog begins to contract in size — it becomes rough, 

 ragged, brittle, tender — the discharge is more copious and more 

 offensive — the horn gradually disappears — a mass of hardened 

 mucus usurps its place — this easily peels off, and the sensible frog 

 remains exposed — the horse cannot bear it to be touched — fun- 

 gous granulations spring from it — they spread around — the sole- 

 becomes under-run, and canker steals over the greater part of 

 the foot. 



If a young colt, fat and full of blood, has a bad thrush, with 

 much discharge, it will be prudent to accompany the attempt at 

 cure by a dose of physic or a course of diuretics. A few diuretics 

 may not be injurious when we are endeavoring to dry up thrush 

 in older horses. 



There are many recipes to stop a running thrush. Almost 

 every application of an astringent, but not of too caustic nature, 

 will have the effect. The common ^Egyptiacum (vinegar boiled 

 with honey and verdigris) is a good liniment ; but the most 

 effectual and the safest — drying up the discharge speediJy, but 

 not suddenly — is a paste composed of blue vitriol, tar, and 

 lard, in proportions according to the virulence of the canker. A 

 pledget of tow, covered with it, should be introduced as deeply 

 as possible, yet without force, into the cleft of the frog every 

 night, and removed in the morning before the horse goes to work. 

 Attention should at the sam.e time, as in other diseases of the 

 foot, be paid to the apparent cause of the complaint, and that 

 3ause should be carefully obviated or removed. Before ths 

 application of the paste, the frog should be examined, and every 

 loose part of the horn or hardened discharge removed ; and if 

 much of the frog is then exposed, a larger and wider piece of tow, 

 covered with the paste, may be placed over it, in addition to the 

 pledget introduced into the cleft of the frog. It will be neces- 

 sary to preserve the frog moist while the cure is in progress, and 

 this may be done by filling the feet with tow, covered by com- 

 mon stopping, or using the felt pad, likewise covered with it. 

 Turning out, would be prejudicial rather than of benefit to 

 thrushy feet, except the dressing is continued, and the feet do- 

 fended from moisture. 



