DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC. 79 



If, however, you conclude it is that which lames him, it 

 must interfere with the back sinews or suspensory liga- 

 ments ; true, it is not near them, but may affect, and does 

 sometimes, by its attachments. In that case I would not 

 blister to make a sore, but try the old-fashioned plan of a 

 white pine stick, soft as you can get it, and have it tapped 

 frequently through the day, and if not much lame, use 

 him all the time, the stick should be round, about the 

 size of a broom-handle ; in a short time it will begin to 

 disappear, and by continuance will go away entirely; or if 

 you prefer, try some absorbent, that may be less trouble 

 and produce as good an effect. If not lame from that, 

 having already examined him from the knee down, 



4th. Look higher up to the arm and shoulder ; if you 

 can see nothing, stand in front of him, raise his foot and 

 leg, straighten it out ; if he winces from that, conclude it 

 is there. Or another plan : if the above shows nothing, 

 push him around on his fore legs short, the one that is 

 raised on the turn with more or less difficulty is proof 

 of the strain, and you may conclude it is a dangerous 

 lameness, as shoulder strains are always hard to cure, and 

 often produce sweeny or a decay of the parts around the 

 bone, and sometimes the bone itself, causing a shrinking 

 of the same in fron. the skin, but can be relieved in so 

 far as to make a horse valuable for ordinary purposes. But 

 unless he is very much valued, it is scarcely worth a gen- 

 tleman's while to be bothered with him ; though in case 

 he should desire to attempt a cure, I will give him the 

 receipt for so doing. The seat of trouble will be found 

 about an indenture on the shoulder, as though the bone 

 was shrinking from the flesh ; if the skin is just at that 

 point taken up firmly and raised so as to make a trans- 

 verse cut of about one and a half inches, so that the finger 

 can be inserted, and some pulverized camphor applied to 



