446 CANXER. 



cases inflaminatory action as well, follows the dressing, and for 

 some time continues ; indeed, in some instances, so great is the 

 suffering for a time consequent on caustic dressing that the animal 

 is entirely taken off his feed by it. 



The Causes of Canker may be conveniently considered 

 under the headings oi predisposing and exciting. 



Predisposition to the disease is said to lurk in " the heavy 

 breed of cart horse;" and certainly, the disease has appeared 

 oftener in such horses than in others ; but whether this origi- 

 nates in any " constitutional predisposition," or whether it be 

 simply referrible to the fact, that such horses, from their habits, 

 are more likely than others to contract canker, appears question- 

 able. From the army, wherein canker once was so great a pest, it 

 has, by attention to shoeing and stable management, been entirely 

 banished ; and there seems no good reason why the same end 

 by the same means should not be put to the disease in cart and 

 dray and wagon horse establishments. Farmers, whose horses 

 in general are worse shod and looked after than those of other 

 people, in some parts of the country were atone time known to 

 be, in too many instances, sad sufferers from losses by canker ; 

 now-a-days, however, since reform has found its way into the 

 farm-yard, and improvement into the country shoeing-forge, but 

 little complaint is heard about the disease. In fact, in the epi- 

 demic and malignant forms in which canker formerly prevailed, 

 the eruption and character of the disease was clearly owing to 

 neglect and mismanagement. 



Exciting Causes. — Supposing canker, since its primary 

 seat is ordinarily the cleft of the frog, to be but a sequel of frush, 

 the same causes which produce one may be said, by inten- 

 sity or continuance, to give rise to the other. This is the 

 usual notion of the production of canker; but it is one which, 

 for my own part, I cannot altogether reconcile with the results 

 of experience. We know that horses will have frushes, and 

 very bad frushes, for years together, to which no medical 

 attention is paid, and yet canker never supervenes. On 

 the other hand, we learn from observation that horses in cer- 

 tain situations can hardly have frush without canker speedily 

 ensuing, unless prompt and efficient means be taken to prevent 



