628 OPERATIONS ON THE FOOT. 



I. Symptoms. — It is ordinarily recognized by the wound or 

 swelling which exists upon the parts. Often the horse is lame, 

 and the affected part warm and painful ; sometimes the hairs are 

 cut, the skin scratched or torn. There may be a slight bleeding 

 at the seat of the wound. When the wall has received the con- 

 tusion, the vascular network underneath may become inflammed, 

 and then pus is formed between the teguments and the hoof, 

 which then become separated. Sometimes even the lateral fibro- 

 cartilage of the foot becomes irritated and swollen, and ulcerates, 

 especially when the contusion has taken place on that part where 

 the cartilage is ; in this case the injury may be complicated with 

 cartilaginous quittor. 



In severe cases, one may i-ecognize a furuncular calk, charac- 

 terized by the mortification and sloughing of a portion of skin at 

 the place where the contusion took place ; it is the cutaneous 

 quittor of old hippiatry, with formation of a core ; this is always 

 very painful, and the inflammation generally spreads underneath 

 the wall. Bouley calls it gangrenous when there is unlimited 

 similar mortification of the tissues ; in this case the slough in- 

 volves large portions of the skin. At times it may be called phleg- 

 'inonous, when an abscess forms itself under the skin, then the 

 coronet is warm, thick and inflamed, and the pain is extreme. 

 Then if an incision be made through the dermis in its entire thick- 

 ness, an abundant bleeding takes place, generally followed by the 

 resolution of the disease ; if there is already suppuration, it is at 

 the same time immediately allowed to escape. 



II. Treatment. — If the injury is slight or recent, whether with 

 or without wound, very cold water and the removal of the cause 

 by taking off the shoe, are sufficient to bring on a cure. But if 

 the contusion has been great and deep, recovery is more difficult 

 to obtain on account of the suppuration which will follow. Then 

 the application of poultices is indicated ; if there is formation of 

 a core, and mortification of tissues, poultices of honey are espec- 

 ially indicated ; in case of phlegmon, the poultice must be warm, 

 and then incisions and counter opening must be made for the 

 escape of f)us ; afterward dressings are made with oakum saturated 

 with tepid wine or tincture of aloes. 



"When the caulking is horny, the use of emollient topics is in- 

 sufficient ; an excellent way then is to obtain the required sJough- 

 ing of the tissues by actual cauterization — the iron heated to white 



