PUMICED FEET. 193 



PUMICED FEET. 



Pumiced feet consist in a convex growth of the soles, 

 and are sometimes attended with great ( flinching ' or 

 lameness as the horse receives any pressure on the sole. 

 No treatment is of any avail save and except some 

 mechanical contrivance. The object in view must be 

 that of removing as much pressure as possible from the 

 sole. To effect this let the shoes be wrought with ( a 

 concave seat; ' i.e. with two thirds of the inner portion 

 of the shoe bevelled off to prevent pressure on the sole. 

 Thus the shoes can be made thicker or deeper than 

 usual without increasing the weight very materially, 

 which will still more elevate the sole. Then let a strong 

 piece of leather be placed over the sole and nailed on 

 with the shoe very carefully ; because the crust of the 

 hoof in such cases is always very weak and brittle. 

 This done, let the foot be stuffed with tow, smeared 

 with tar and oil of turpentine, to stimulate the secretion 

 of horn. 



