THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 337 



sand crack ; the disease being in no instance seen in flat, shelvy, 

 oblique hoofs. 



" It is said sand cracks may originate in tread. Undoubtedly, 

 any lesion of the coronary body sufficient to injure or destroy its 

 secretory apparatus, may occasion imperfect or morbid secretion 

 of horn, or loss of form altogether ; but I do not believe this to 

 be a very common cause of sand crack." 



Treatment of Toe Crack. — It is generally customary in this 

 part of the country to call in the aid of the blacksmith to repair 

 a toe crack, which he does in the following manner : if the fissure 

 is only a partial one, that is, commences a short distance below 

 the coronet, and only extends part of the way down the wall, a 

 red-hot iron, having a sharp edge, is drawn across the upper and 

 lower parts of the crack, and sometimes down the crack itself; 

 with a view of destroying any morbid matter that may exist in 

 the fissure. A crack fixed after this fashion is called cross firing. 

 If the fissure extends from the coronet right down to the toe, 

 two or three pieces of wire are passed through the edges of 

 each half of the hoof, through holes drilled for that purpose, 

 and the fissure is thus riveted together. The operation requires 

 some skill on the part of the blacksmith ; for if he should bore 

 the holes too deep, the sensitive lamince might, be included, 

 and thus protract the cure. Some physicians recommend en- 

 circling the hoof with waxed twine, instead of riveting, with a 

 view of restricting any tendency to expand at the toe, when, by 

 its pressure on the heels, it might favor their contraction, and 

 therefore cannot be of much use. Of the two, we should prefer 

 riveting, if performed by a skilful workman. 



But why not close the crack by interrupted sutures, after the 

 following fashion : good substantial waxed threads answer the 

 same purpose as iron rivets, and are far preferable, because they 

 can be so easily removed after having fulfilled their intention. 

 We have made but one trial of this kind. The case turned out 

 well ; still a single experiment is not sufficient to establish its 

 superiority over other methods. 



The best practice would be, first, to poultice the foot, (suppos- 

 ing the shoe to have been removed,) with a view of softening the 

 hoof and removing any extraneous matter that may have insinu- 

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