WEAKNESS OF THE FOOT. 187 



Symptoms. — AVhen the foot is in a healthy condition, the 

 back cartilages will yield to the pressure of the fingers 

 on the coronet over the quarters. But when ossification 

 commences, and the complaint progresses, then a commensu- 

 rate degree of resistance manifests itself, and in process of 

 time it will no longer yield to any pressure It is then 

 certain that complete ossification of the cartilages has taken 

 place. During the transformation of the cartilage into bone 

 no visible inflammation is observable in the foot, nor does 

 much lameness appear ; and indeed frequently lameness is 

 not at all manifested, although a slight stifihess may be 

 noticed. These observations apply to cart-horses, or such 

 as require only to be worked at a slow pace ; but in horses 

 that go at a rapid pace, it amounts to positive lameness. 

 When this complaint is connected with ringbone, very great 

 lameness is the consequence. 



Remedies. — Unless this disease is taken at its commence- 

 ment, no treatment can avail ; for the bony deposit once 

 having taken place, there is no possibility of restoring the 

 cartilage. When it is detected in its first formation, blisters 

 and the use of the cautery may arrest its progi'ess, and 

 entirely remove it. We know of no other application, 

 except rubbing the cartilage smartly with iodine morning 

 and evening, which may restore the action of the secreting 

 vessels to a healthy state. 



WEAKNESS OF THE FOOT. 



This is merely a conventional term in general use among 

 horsemen and dealers, which might with more propriety be 

 denominated " malformation of the foot," because, in point 

 of fact, it is rather a bad formation than a disease. In many 

 instances it is a natural infirmity, and likewise proceeds 

 from some other disease. The natural slant or angle of the 



