90 THE ABMY HOBSE IN ACCIDENT AND DISEASE. 



Treatment. — Remove the shoe and give the animal complete rest; 

 poultice the foot with flaxseed meal or stand the foot in a tub of cold 

 water ; if relief is not obtained in a week, apply a blister of biniodide 

 of mercury, 1 to 5, around the coronet and heels, rubbing it in well 

 over the region of the heels. 



Sprain of the coffin joint, unless carefully nursed, may terminate 

 in chronic navicular disease, in which the coffin-joint structures and the 

 coffin bone itself become ulcerated. This disease is incurable. 



If, after navicular disease has developed, it be necessary to keep 

 the horse in the service, the heel of the diseased foot should be elevated 

 by the use of a shoe with calks or with thick heels. The foot should 

 be kept soft with footbaths and poultices and a blister applied when 

 lameness is especially marked. Whenever possible keep the shoe off 

 during treatment. 



