CANKER— TREATMENT. GROOVED SHOR 191 



between the hoof and the coffin-bone, the powder must be introduced there by 

 means of a spatula, or flat piece of wood, with a bit of tow on it ; but do not 

 leave the tow behind, as that might produce a fresh disorder. Butter of anti- 

 mony is preferred by some to the foregoing powder, because it is a hquid and 

 acts more generally ; but it operates only for a short time before its effects 

 cease, being killed by the moisture of the disease it was meant to destroy. 

 Bind up the foot until the following day, when the application must be re- 

 peated, after wiping away roughly as much as possible of the diseased parts. 



As it is found of some importance to the cure, that the foot should be kept 

 as much as possible from wet and filth, and seeing that the mode of tying on a 

 great bundle of tow in cloth, in the manner now in vogue, often fails, a light 

 shoe, adapted to the present shape of the foot, should be put on, for the pur- 

 pose of sustaining the dressings, &c. which may be found necessary to put 

 on. The shoe has another advantage over the tying fashion, inasmuch as it 

 allows of the animal to place his foot fairly on the ground, a position that 

 mainly conduces to the cure by promoting the secretions, especially when at 

 length he can move about. Let the shoe be narrow-webbed, with a groove ou 

 the inside edge, so as to admit of a tin slider being shoved in and drawn out, 

 when you desire to examine the under surface of the foot to change the 

 dressings, &c. Such a shoe will obviate the complaints usually raised by 

 our stable attendants, that they can not keep on the dressings, nor preserve the 

 foot from damp, which always retards the cure ; for they are most of them 

 bunglers at bandaging, owing to the very little practice which falls to the share 

 of any one person among the whole fraternity. Splents of wood may supply 

 the place of tin, when this latter may not be at hand. 



Whenever the cankered parts slough off, and leave a more healthy appear- 

 ance, the powder need no longer be applied at those particular places. Upon 

 these lay on a dressing of tar, in which has been introduced about a tenth 

 part of blue stone, powdered. Let as much pressure be given to the sole as 

 can be contrived, to prevent the granulation of new flesh coming on too lux- 

 uriantly, which is otherwise very likely to happen, on the edges of the wound 

 particularly. In this respect, the grooved shoe will be found eflfectually ser- 

 viceable. If, notwithstanding all your care, the edges will grow too fast, touch 

 that part with lunar caustic ; and in case the horny substance grows over the 

 still cankered parts, it must be again pared away and laid bare. Perhaps the 

 animal is young and vigorous in other respects, and his system probably would 

 promote the secretion of new horn quicker than an older, or less healthy horse ; 

 this difference should teach us to employ some digestive for the dressings, which 

 has less tendency to promote the growth of new horn than tar has, which 

 would be found more proper for old horses. For the younger animals, let 

 turpentine be substituted, mto which has been mixed a small portion of vitri- 

 olated copper. 



From what has been said, the reader will perceive the dressings require 

 changing with some degree of judgment and discrimination, and that they 

 should not be passed over or delayed, as he values the horse; for, upon this 

 marked attention alone depends the cure, and such a cure as shall prevent a 

 relapse. Of course he will not fail to take care of the evacuations, as in case 

 of frush ; nor that the earliest exercise the animal takes be proportioned to the 

 amount of disease he has undergone in an inverse ratio. 



Prevention. — As we have seen that inflammation is the immediate cause 

 of all disorders of this class, and seeing that the irritation which produces this 

 has been brought on by distress of the parts for the want of due pressure on 

 the frog, any one whose eyes are open may see the necessity of paring down 

 the heels so that the frog may have a bearing, when the horse is walked over 

 field or turf for example. For hereby it will be seen, on turning to the brief 



