ij^G ON THE FEET. 



two or three days. Having caft the horfe 

 plenty of litter, and made a ligature round the 

 paftern, to prevent a flux of blood, an incifion 

 is to be made with a biftory or knife, parallel 

 with the coronet, and long enough to difco- 

 ver the cartilage in all its extent. Cut away 

 as much of the upper part of the wall as ne- 

 ceilary, but preferve the lower part of the 

 quarter and heel, as a fupport, if poflible ; then 

 with the inftrument called a fage-leai (from its 

 form) having a blunt back, and being (lightly 

 bent, cut av/ay the cartilage gradually at three 

 or four different attempts. In pafling the in- 

 ftrument behind the cartilage, which covers 

 the principal blood-veffels of the foot, as well 

 as the capfular ligament of its articulation with 

 the bone of the coronet, the operator muft ufe 

 the utmoft caution, fmce if he make an acci- 

 dental opening or breach in thofe, the horfe 

 is lamed for ever. Scrape away lightly with 

 the knife, the remaining fragments of the root 

 of the cartilage, obferving to fix the inftrument 

 on a folid part, and gently bearing from within 

 outward, to avoid opening the adjoining cap- 

 fular ligament. When all the cartilage is 

 cleared away, examine the ftate of the bone 

 of the foot ; if carious, remove the faulty part, 

 and fire, in order to exfoliation. Search the 

 wound carefully to the bottom, to afcertain 

 whether there be any remaining fmus or fil- 



tula ; 



