TREATMENT OF CANKER. 449 



Treatment of Canker. 



In accordance with the foregoing views, canker would appear 

 rather to consist in disease of the keratogeneous structure than in 

 any change of the deeper-seated tissues. The secretion of horn is 

 superseded by the production oi fungus, and this fungus-generat- 

 ing action is so predominant in the secretory apparatus that, when 

 once estabhshed, the morbid secretion continues for a length of 

 time in spite of every effort on our part to suppress or correct it. 

 While the manifestation of hypertrophic action in this exuber- 

 ance of production is too plain to be denied, there is at the same 

 time evidently at work some anormal action which nothing short 

 of the actual destruction of the orgasm— and not always even 

 that — is found to eradicate, so as to re-establish the secretion of 

 sound horn. M. Bouley's " chronic inflammation" will not by 

 itself account for the phenomena of canker, no more than it will 

 for the obstinacy the morbid function sets up against treatment. 

 This explains why, as experience shews, no radical or perma- 

 nent cure of canker can be brought about without the use of 

 caustics or escharotics, coupled with the aid of the knife or the 

 actual cautery, as occasion may require. And with all this, 

 time will be necessary to bring about sound and healthy secre- 

 tion. So great and paramount is the morbid disposition to gene- 

 rate fungus, that the morbid productions will frequently require 

 being destroyed, again and again, down to their very roots, 

 before sound horn can be induced to spring up in their places. 



Were we not taught this harsh practice by experience, or 

 could we find any more lenient mode of procedure, mild treat- 

 ment would turn out not less acceptable to ourselves than com- 

 paratively painless and pleasant to our patient. But we appre- 

 hend no plan of treatment of the kind with any prospect of success 

 offers itself to our notice. M. Bouley, after finding fault, com- 

 mendably enough, with our destruction of tissues, when, as he 

 says, the error is not physical h\it functional only, recommends 

 the following — certainly comparatively humane — method of pro- 

 cedure : — 



French Mode of Treatment. — The cankered foot to 

 be cut down to the extent required, and then to have such a shoe 

 properly fitted as will admit of the requisite dressing and pres- 



VOL. IV. 3 M 



