DISEASES OF THE FEET. " HI 



County, Kj., which was one of the worst he ever saw. The 

 rotten, pumiced hoof was, at least, half an inch in thick- 

 ness, and extending back over half the bottom were a number 

 of angry-looking patches, while the sole, at each point of the 

 quarters, was perfectly blood-shot. The case was fast hast- 

 ening to the still worse determination of cracked heels, or 

 grease. The leg was badly swollen as far up as the hock- 

 joint. For this swelling, the animal had been under profes- 

 sional treatment for some time previous, the real cause of 

 lameness, situated in the foot, remaining entirely unsuspected. 

 After only three weeks' use of the corrosive liniment, the 

 animal was nearly well, and the swelling hardly perceptible. 

 A continuance ol the treatment in due time effected a per- 

 fect cure. 



CONTRACTION OF THE HOOP, OR NARROW HEEL. ' 



In all parts of the country, there are numerous cases of con- 

 traction of the hoof, or narrow heel, as it is popularly called. 

 The shape of the hoof is nearly round when the foot is in its 

 natural or healthy condition ; but sometimes the hoof be- 

 comes elongated, the toe extending forward, and the parts 

 toward the heel dropping in together. 



It is a prevalent opinion that contraction is the result of 

 shoeing; but this is certainly a mistake, because otherwise 

 the trouble must occur much oftener than it does. There is 

 no reason why the same causes, operating in the same man- 

 ner, should not more uniformly produce the same effects. I^ot 

 one in twenty that is kept constantly shod is ever troubled 

 with contraction. This is not itself a disease, but merely the 

 result of an unhealthy condition of the feet. 



So long as all the parts included within the hoof are in 

 in their natural state, the hoof will remain natural and solid ; 

 but let decay commence, no matter from. what cause origi- 

 nating, and the parts shrink away, the sides of the hoof will 

 fall in, and the .whole foot seem misshapen. Narrow heel 

 has just this history, and no other. The hoof often assumes 

 great irregularity of outline. One side drops in more than the 



