THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 285 



acrimonious as to destroy the adjacent parts. In this 

 state the frog becomes so sore and tender as not to 

 endure pressure without a painful sensation, and the 

 horse consequently will be more or less unsafe in his 

 going. 



The discharge may be stopped by astringent appli- 

 cations, but it is not prudent to check it too suddenly, 

 as such a course sometimes produces general inflam- 

 mation in the foot, attended with lameness, and, in this 

 case, the discharge generally breaks out again with 

 redoubled violence. Colts at grass are sometimes 

 subject to running thrushes ; this happens where the 

 walls of the hoof are exceedingly strong, in which case 

 the heels do not wear away sufficiently to let the frog 

 touch the ground. Soft and wet pastures also con- 

 tribute to this disease. To obviate this inconvenience 

 the heels should be pared down very frequently. The 

 frog should be cleared of all the ragged and diseased 

 parts ; and after being well washed with soft-soap and 

 warm water, it may be dressed either with spirits 

 of turpentine or verdigris dissolved in water. 



When the disease has existed so long as to have in- 

 sinuated itself between the horny and fleshy soles 

 of the foot, it is then called a canker, and must be 

 treated in the following manner, namely ; — first to cut 

 away all that part of the hoof which is detached from 

 the parts within, and to dress the diseased surface with 

 butter of antimony, upon which should be laid a pledget 

 of dry tow, covered with powdered lime ; and this 

 dressing should be repeated every day until the surface 

 is cleared of the foul stinking fungus, and puts on a 

 red healthy appearance, after which it may be treated 

 as a common wound, dressing it simply with common 

 digestive ointment sprinkled with verdigris. 

 Pressure also will be useful in preventing the granu- 



