356 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



there seems to exist a peculiar diathesis favorable to the produc- 

 tion of canker, which, on the occurrence of a simple injury to the 

 foot by the accidental introduction of a nail, or from any other 

 exciting cause, is immediately followed by an extraordinary mor- 

 bid growth. 



Treatment.* — Our first business is to remove the shoe, and 

 cleanse the foot with a weak solution of chloride of soda ; the 

 principal part of the morbid growth is then to be dissected off; 

 if any hemorrhage follows, it can be arrested with pledgets of lint 

 saturated with tincture of muriate of iron, or any other styptic ; 

 we next sprinkle the whole surface with powdered bloodroot, — 

 sanguinaria canadensis, — then apply a dressing of strong pyro- 

 lignebus acid, and by means of pledgets and bandages, keep a con- 

 tinued pressure on the parts. The foot must be dressed in this 

 manner for several days, occasionally washing it with a solution 

 of alum, sulphate of zinc, or some vegetable astringent — infusion 

 of oak or bayberry bark. Should these remedies fail, we recom- 

 mend the following : Take a saturated solution of common 

 potass, into which stir a sufficient quantity of finely-pulverized 

 oatmeal, to form a stiff paste ; apply this to any fungous growth, 

 and it will disappear in a very short time. This dressing should 

 be followed by one composed of linseed oil and lime water, equal 

 parts. 



* M. Fischer recommends unslaked lime in preference to slaked ; his reasons 

 are, " The latter becomes with water more unctuous, it adheres better, and 

 causes thicker crusts or sloughs, which more readily become detached. I pro- 

 cure lime as pure as I can, and make it into a paste with water, immediately 

 before application, in order that it may, in that form, reach the sinuses of the 

 foot, after having sprinkled over the cankerous surfaces pure chloride of lime, 

 or else that mixed with pulverized tan, according to circumstances. In cases 

 where the calcined calcareous stone refuses readily to absorb the water, or does 

 not slake, I obviate, in some measure, this inconvenience by making use of 

 boiling water. 



" First of all, I confine the paste upon the foot with a piece of linen, before 

 I enclose the foot in a boot; otherwise the latter would speedily become de- 

 stroyed by the caustic. At every fresh dressing, i. e. daily, the linen is cal- 

 cined, as it were, by the lime, so that at each dressing fresh linen is called 

 for." — Translations from the French, by Percivall. 



