of one of the former to three of the latter, will 

 be tlic most effectual external application, while 

 alteratives and physic should be s^ivcu inter- 

 nally. H(di-hound is a vcrj' appropriate term 

 for the peculiar sticking of the hide to the ribs 

 when a horse is out of condition. The subcu- 

 taneous adipose matter is all absfirbed. The 

 alterative above recommended will be very 

 useful here. 



The legs, and the hind ones more than the 

 fore ones, arc subject to frequent and great and 

 obstinate swellings, attended by great pain and 

 considerable fever. It is acute inflammation of 

 the cellular substance of the legs. Phj-sic and 

 diuretics, and tonics if there is tl>e slightest ap- 

 peai-ancc of debility, are the proper means of 

 cure. Friction and bandages will al.so be u.se- 

 ful occasionally. There is no di.sea.se in which 

 the farrier and the groom do greater mischief 

 tlian in this. 



Grease is an undue secretion of the fluid 

 whicli was designed to lubricate the skin of the 

 lieels, and that secretion is also altered in quality. 

 The hind legs begin to swell — a fluid exudes 

 from the heels — the hairs of the heels become 

 erect like so many bristles, and the skin of the 

 heel is hot and greasy. Soon afterward cracks 

 appear across the heel ; they discharge a thick 

 Hiid offensive matter, and then deepen. They 

 spn^ad up the leg, and so does the tumefaction 

 of the part. In process of time tbc skin, in- 

 flamed and ulcerated, undergoes an alteration 

 of structure ; prominences or granulations ap- 

 pear on it, assuming the appearance of a collec- 

 tion of grapes, or the skin of a pine-apple. They 

 increase, and a fetid discharge appears from 

 the crevices between them. 



The cause is generally neglect of the Horse. 

 He is suffered to stand in the stable with his 

 heels cold and wet, which necessarily disposes 

 them to inflammation and disease. 



In the first .stage of grease, bran or turnip or 

 carrot poultices will be serviceable, with moder- 

 ate physic. Then astringents must be em- 

 ployed, and the best are alum or sulphate of 

 copper in powder, mixed with several times the 

 quantity of Bole Armenian, and sprinkled on the 

 sores. These should be alternated every three 

 or four days. The grapy heels are a disgrace 

 to the stable in which they are found, and admit 

 not of radical cure. 



Splints are bony enlargements, generally on 

 the inside of the leg, arising from undue pressure 

 on the inner splint bone, and this either caused 

 by the natural conformation of the leg, or violent 

 blows on it. These excrescences will often 

 gradually disappear, or will yield to a simple 

 operation, or to the application of the hydriodate 

 of potash or blister ointment.s. Sprains, if 

 neglected, occasionally become very serious 

 eTils. Rest, warm fomentations, poultices, or, 

 in bad cases, blistering are the usual remedies. 

 WnidgaJls. if they are of considerable size, or 

 accompanied by much inflammation or lame- 

 ness, will find in a blister the most effectual 

 remedy. Sprainit of the fetlock demand prompt 

 and severe blistering. Nothing short of this will 

 ' produce a pennanent cure. Spraina of the 

 [ pastern and coffin-joints demand still more 

 prompt and deci.sive treatment. If neglected 

 I or inefficiently managed, the neighboring liga- 

 I ments will be involved, more extensive inflam- 

 mation will be set up, and bony matter, under 

 the name of ringbone, will spread over the pas- 

 terns and cartilages of the foot. Firing alone 

 will, in die majority of cases, be efficient here. 

 (1035) 



Inflammation of the foot, or acute founder. — 

 In speaking of the structure of the foot, the 

 laininiH, or tle.shy plates on the front and sides 

 of the coffin-bone, were described. From over- 

 exertion, or undue exposure to cold or wet, or 

 sudden change from cold to heat, inHammation 

 of these lamin;B is apt to occur, and a dreadfully 

 painful di.sca.se it is. It is easily detected by 

 the heat of the feet, and the torture which is 

 produced by the slightest touch of the hammer 

 The shoe must be removed, the sole well pared 

 out, plentiful bleeding from the toe had recourse 

 to, the foot well poulticed, and cooling med 

 cines reported to. The bleeding should be re- 

 peated if manifest benefit is not procured, and 

 cloths dipped in dissolved nitre, which are cold 

 er than the common poultice, should be substi 

 tuted. After this a poultice around the foot and 

 pastern should succeed. Little food should be 

 given, and that must consist of green meat or 

 ma.shes. 



Pumiced Feet. — This is one of the con.se- 

 quences of inflamed feet. The sole of the foot 

 becomes flattened, or even convex, by the pre.ss- 

 ure of the weight above. There is no cure 

 here, and the only palliation of the evil is ob 

 taincd from the application of a shoe so beveled 

 off from the crust that it shall not press upon or 

 touch the .sole. This, however, is only a tem 

 porary palliation, for the sole will continue to 

 project, and the horse will be useless. 



Contracted Feet. — By this is meant an in 

 crease in the length of the foot, and a gradual 

 narrowing as the heels are approached ; and 

 as the necessary, consequence of this, a diminu- 

 tion of the ^vidtll of the foot and a concavity of 

 the sole. In point of fact, the whale of the foot, 

 including the coffin-bone, becomes narrowed, 

 and consequently elongated. This change of 

 form is accompanied by considerable pain ; the 

 action of the Horse is altered ; there is a short- 

 ened tread, and a hesitating way of putting the 

 foot to the ground. 



The frog and heel would expand when the 

 weight of the Horse descends and is thrown 

 upon them, but the nailing of the shoe at the 

 heels prevents it. Thence the pain and lame 

 ness. Mr. Turner of Regent-street obviates this 

 by a very simple method. He puts four or five 

 nails in the shoe on the outside, and only two 

 on the inside. There is then sufficient room 

 for the natural expansion to take place, and 

 the foot and action of the Horse are little or not 

 at all changed. This is an admirable contri- 

 vance, and recourse should always be had to it. 

 The Navicular Joint Disease. — There are 

 many Horses with open and well-formed feet 

 that are lame. In every motion of the foot there 

 is a great deal of action between the navicular 

 bone and the flexor tendon which passes over 

 it in order to be inserted into the navicular bone 

 From concussion or violent motion, the mem 

 brane or the cartilage which covers the navicu 

 lar bone is brui.sed or abraded, the horse be- 

 comes lame, and oftea continues so for life. This 

 disease admits of remedy to a very considera- 

 ble extent; no one, however, but a skillful vete- 

 rinary surgeon is capable of successfully under- 

 taking it. 



Sand-crack is a divi.sion of the crust of the 

 hoof from the upper part of it downward, 

 bespeaks brittlcness of the foot, and often arises 

 from a single false step. If the crack has not 

 penetrated through the horn, it mu.st neverthe- 

 less be pared fairly out, and generally a coating 

 of pitch should be bound round tlie foot. If the 



