62 HORSE AND MAN. 



the frog, through the semi-translucent substance of 

 which, so thin had it been made, the bright red and 

 exceedingly sensitive living membrane beneath could 

 here and there be distinctly seen. Not unfrequently, 

 also, I have noticed blood issuing from the bottom 

 of the deep notches cut off nearly as far as the hairs 

 at the heel.' 



Then the ' pegs ' are to be removed, on the ground 

 that they contract the frog, and cause ' thrush.' It is 

 impossible to surpass this statement in its extraordi- 

 nary mixture of ignorance and presumption. If it 

 were true, every wild horse, or every horse, previous 

 to its introduction to the farrier, must be liable to 

 thrush ; whereas, no horse that had never been shod 

 could by any possibility be afflicted with thrush. 



What is the ailment which we call thrush, and 

 what is its cause ? The presence of the disease is 

 made known by the horribly smelling purulent dis- 

 charge which is formed in the interior of the hoof, 

 and which at last exudes from it. In bad cases, 

 it can be detected at some distance by the sense of 

 smell alone. The word is a sort of generic term, and 

 is applied very loosely to any disease which causes 

 internal inflammation and consequent discharge of 

 pus. 



The disease is wholly owing to the shoe, and is 

 thus caused. Again, at the risk of being tedious, 



