102 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



any mode of treatment. Such cases, nevertheless, always 

 prove exceedingly obstinate. But in most instances the dis- 

 ease takes an entirely different turn. ]^o abscess is formed, 

 but the navicular bone becomes diseased, and commences to 

 decay; the hoof shrinks, the portions toward the back of 

 the foot being drawn together; and now the horse suffers 

 from what farmers call " narrow heel." 



Still another fearful development of the disease may take 

 place. In this the bone begins enlarging, the disease then 

 assuming the same features as ring-bone and spavin. Adhe- 

 sions between the bone and the lower pastern, and also with 

 the coffin-bone, presently follow ; and eventually the foot is 

 ruined, when the horse, of course, is worthless. The final 

 history of such a case, which is well worth tracing out, is 

 about as follows: Enlargement of the bone goes on; the de- 

 posits of bony matter upon the surface increases, and the 

 three bones above named are consolidated, forming a soft 

 and spongy mass of bony matter, which presses the hoof out 

 in all directions. To such a size does this unnatural growth 

 attain, that it often looks more like the head of a maul than 

 any thing else. Hence the name club-foot, which applies to 

 the incurable stages of this disease and of ring-bone alike. 

 What horseman is there who is not familiar with this mon- 

 strosity and its deplorable effects? 



TREATMENT. 



The whole philosophy of this is simply to produce an 

 external development of the disease, by the formation of an 

 abscess situated near enough to the surface to readily force 

 an outlet for the discharge of its purulent matter. If this 

 can be done, there is reason to be hopeful concerning the 

 final result; if otherwise, the horse is ruined forever. The 

 most powerful counter-irritation will be necessary in the 

 region of the heel and the entire back part of the foot. 

 Too much can not well be done in this direction. An in- 

 flammation must be occasioned upon the surface superior to 

 that of the deep-seated disease of the joint and bone. 



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