DISEASES OF rHK KKTl.OCK, AXKLK, AND FOOT. 417 



tlic eoMei5pondiii<i: quaiti'r. o\\in<i to llic >tiiiiiilating eflfect ^\llit•ll tlie 

 diseiise has upon the coronary band. 



Complications may arise by an extension of the diseaM' to tiie hit- 

 eral lij^ament of the coHin joint, to the joint itself, to the plantar 

 cuijliion. anil by earies of the collin bone. 



Treat nu)it. — Before recovery can take place all the dead cartil:i«j[e 

 must bo removed. In rare instances this is etlected by natnre without 

 assistance. Usually, however, the disease does not tend to reco\ery, 

 and active curnti\e measures nnist l)e adopted. The best and sim- 

 plest treatment, in a majority of cases, is the injection of strong 

 caustic solutions, which destiov the diseased cartilage and cause its 

 dis<*harge, along \\\i\\ the other j)roducts (»f suppuration. In fa\<»r- 

 able cases these injections will .secure a healing of the wound in 

 from two to three weeks. While the satuiated solution of sulphate 

 of copi>er, or a solution of 10 parts of bichlorid of mercury to KM) 

 parts of water, has given the best results in my hands, e<iually a^ 

 favorable success has been secured by others from the use of caustic 

 soda, nitrate of silver, sulphate of zinc, tincture of iodin, etc. Xo 

 matter which one of these remedies may be selected, however, it must 

 be Used at least twice a day for a time. The solution is injected into 

 the various openings w-ith force enough to drive it to the bottom of 

 the wound, after which the foot is to be dressed with a pad of oakum. 

 held in place by a roller bandage tightly applied. While it is not 

 always necessary, it is often of advantage to relieve the pressure on 

 the paits by rasj)ing away the h(>of over the seat of the cartilage: the 

 coronary band and laminju should not l>e injured in the operation. 



If the caustic injections pi-ove successful, the discharge will be- 

 c()me healthy and gradually iliminish, so that by the end of the 

 second week the fistuhms tracts are closing up and the injections are 

 made with much difliculty. 



If, on the other hand, there is but little or no imi)rovcm('nt aftri- 

 this treatment has been u.^ed for three weeks, it may reasonably be 

 concluded that the operation for the removal of the lateial cartilage 

 must Ik- resorti'd to for the cure of the trouble. As this operation 

 can bt» safely undertaken only bv an expert surgeon, it will not be 

 described in this connection. 



THRUSH. 



Thrush is characterized liy au excessive secretion of unhealthy 

 matter from the cleft of the frog. While all classes of horses are 

 liable to this alfcction. it is m«ue often seen in the couimon draft 

 horse than in any other breed, owing to the conditions of servitude 

 and not to the fault of the breed. Country hoi.^'s are much less 



