FEET OF THE HORSE AND THEIR DISEASES. 305 



the hole, a stick of lunar caustic. Dress it in this way once a day till the 

 leaves are all reduced to a solid surface, then, if it is raw flesh, and not too 

 prominent, apply burnt alum or air-slacked lime, alternating them 

 occasionally with the vitriol. Keep the sore part perfectly dry all the 

 time. 



When it is well started, and good quality of hoof is growing, dress it 

 with pine tar and tow. The horse may be shod as soon as it is well 

 enough to be dressed with the tar ; before that time the shoe is better off, 

 the foot being in a canvas bag and the horse running in a box stall. 



VI. Calks. 



Causes. — Calks are cuts and bruises on the coronet, or soft parts above 

 it, caused by one foot stepping upon the other, and the calk of the shoe, 

 if sharp, cuts into the flesh. It is most common in fall, winter and 

 spring, when mud and snow are deep • the horse getting stuck is almost 

 Bure to step on his own feet. 



CALKS OR TREADS ON THE CORONET. 



What to do. — If the wound is in the skin, and of any length beyond 

 one inch, take a stitch in it, or more if needed. Put the stitches half an 

 inch apart, first clipping off the hair along the edges of the wound. If 

 any artery is cut, so as to bleed a stream, put a dry sponge over it and 

 bandage with a coarse cotton bandage, tight ; leave it on ten or twelve 

 hours, then remove and dress with the carbolic lotion : 



No. 6. >^ Ounce carbolic acid, 



I Pint water, 

 Mix. 



Sop it on and bandage just tight enough to keep the parts in their proper 

 position. Remove the bandage twice a day, wash the wound with warm 

 water and castile soap, and dress with the above lotion. 



When the edges are united, or if the stitches tear out, which they are 

 very apt to do, and expose a raw surface, apply the White lotion: 



No. 7. 6 Drachms sulphate of zinc, 



1 Ounce sugar of lead, 

 1 Pint water, 

 Mix and shake. 



