DISEASES OF THE FKTT.OfK, ANKI.K. AND FOOT. 413" 



bv separating the hoof fi-oin the coioiiary hiiiul. at or near tlic heels, 

 Avithout causing; a loss of the >\lu)U> horny hox. When tlie flexor 

 tendon is involved deep in the foot, the diyehar«j^e of ]>iis usually 

 takes place from an opening in tlie follow of the heel: if the sesa- 

 moid ligament or the sheath of (he (lexors are affected, the opening" 

 is nearer the fetlock joint, although in most of these eases the sup- 

 I)uration .spreads along the rourse of the tendons until the navicular 

 joint is involved, and extensive sloughing of the deeper parts follows. 



Treat tnoit. — The treatment of tendinous (juittor is to he directed 

 toward the sa\ ing of the foot. First of all an effort must he made to 

 prevent suppuration: if the i)atient is seen at the heginning, cold 

 irrigation, recommended in tlie treatment for cutaneous (piittor, is to 

 he resorted to. Later, when the tumor is forming on the c<tronet, 

 the knife must he used, and a free and deep incision made into the 

 swelling. AVhene>er openings appear, from which ])us escapes, they 

 should he carefully prol-ed: in all instances the.se fistulous tracts lead 

 down to dead tissue which nature is trying to remove hy the process 

 of sloughing. If a counter o])einng can he made, which will enahle a 

 more ready escajie of the jms, it should he done at once; for instance, 

 if the probe shows that the discharge originates from the bottom of 

 the foot, the sole must be pared through over the seat <^f trouble. 

 \Vliene\ er suppuration has commenced the jirocess is to he .stimulated 

 hv the use of warm V)aths and poultices. The pus wjiich accumulates 

 in the deeper parts, esjiccially along the tendons, around the joint.s, 

 and in the hoof, is to be removed by pressme and injections made 

 with a small syringe, repeated tw(» or three times a day. As soon as 

 the discharge jissumes a healthy charactei* and diminislK's in (juantity, 

 stimulating scdutions are to be injected into the open wounds. A\'hen 

 the tendons, ligaments, and other deeper parts are affected, a strong 

 solution <.f carliolic acid — 1 to '1 — should be used at first; or strong 

 solutions of tincture of iodin, sulphate of iron, sulphate of copper, 

 hichlorid of mercury, etc., may be used in ])lace of th<^ carbolic; after 

 this the remedies and dressings directed for use in simjde (|uittor 

 are to he used. In those cases in which the fistulous tracts refuse to 

 heal it is often nec'e,*«ary to bm-n them out \\ith a saturated solution 

 of caustic soda. e<|ual parts of muriatic acid and water, or, better 

 Btill, with a long, thin iron, heated white hot. 



But no matter what treatment is adopted, a large percentage of 

 the ca.'^es of tendinous jjuittor fail to make g(M)tl i-ecoverie.s. If the 

 entire hoof sloughs away, the growth of a new. l»ut soft and imper- 

 fect hoof may be obtained by carefully protecting the exposed ti.ssues 

 with proper baiulages. TVhen the joints are ope?ied by d»'ep slough- 

 ing, recovery may eventually take jilace. hut the joint remains im- 

 movable ever after. If caries of a small )»art of the coflin hone takes 



