664 OPERATIONS ON THE FOOT. 



that Brognie^; recommended highly for the removal of one or two 

 quarters of the wall, with an aj)propriate dressing. H. Bouley, 

 however, believes that it would be wrong to discard these opera- 

 tions entirely; he believes that there are conditions where they 

 become necessary, and where they furnish better and quicker 

 results than the others referred to. 



We cannot overlook the treatment recommended by Barthelemy, 

 which consists in the thinning first with the rasj), then with the 

 drawing knife, of the bars, in their whole length, depth and thick- 

 ness; thinning them down to a spring under the pressure of the 

 finger. This done, a layer of blister is applied on the skin of the 

 cuti dura and upon it, in the parts corresponding where the hoof 

 has been thinned down; the appHcation to be renewed several 

 times, until the lameness has subsided. This operation is followed 

 by an excess of the horny secretion and a marked enlargement of 

 the hoof, and gives good but slow results. Gross has often oper- 

 ated in the same manner, alternating the blister with poultices. 



A modus operandi which has also been very satisfactory, 

 is the one that was recently made known by Weber, and which 

 consists in the division of the wall at several points, by grooves 

 extending down to the keraphyllous horn, in the direction of the 

 fibres of the hoof. Two or three are made, on each side, between 

 the quarters and the heels, the heels at the same time being pared 

 down, when a bar shoe is put on which rests on the frog, or if 

 that organ is atrophied, pressure upon it is simulated by the ad- 

 dition of pieces of leather. Frequently, instead of paring the 

 heels down excessively, and when the frog is atroj)hied, we prefer 

 a slipper after having pared the sole and bars to a spring. The 

 method of Weber is not new. It was previously known by La- 

 gueriniere, and is mentioned by Brogniez and Hurtrel d'Arboval. 

 With it we may slowly but surely achieve success, and there are 

 but few feet which are not reheved or cured ; but the grooves 

 must be renewed from above at each shoeing. SoUej'sel made 

 lines of cauterization on each side of the heels, extending from 

 the hair to the shoe, which, running through the hoof, softens it 

 and renders it more tractable. 



We cannot at present consider the comphcations likely to be 

 encountered, but must satisfy ourselves by remarking that in cases 

 of false c^uarters, to avoid the painful pinching of the soft parts 

 between the two walls, there is nothing better than to clean the 



