Canker ; its Ti'eatment. 135 



ventive wliich is far before all known methods of 

 cure. When once this disease has been induced 

 it is extremely difficult to cure, and it is advis- 

 able to call in the aid of the veterinary surgeon. 

 Although I have found the same treatment I 

 adopt for seedy toe to be very effectual, I will 

 here quote a few words from Mr. Brown npon 

 this disease. He says, ^^ Besides the hereditary 

 predisposition of work-horses to canker, in order 

 to give them foothold it becomes necessary to 

 raise the heels of the hind feet so much that all 

 pressure on the frog is done away with, which 

 has the effect of destroying its functions, and 

 consequently rendering it liable to disease." 

 This is most erroneous, for I contend it is not 

 necessary to put heavy shoes on the cart horse, 

 neither is it necessary to put on large caulkings 

 to give him a foot-hold ; the animal has a far 

 better foot-hold if shod plain with his frog on the 

 ground, to allow that natural wedge to take the 

 place that nature evidently intended it for, ^.^., 

 the expansion of the foot, and to prevent the 

 horse slipping. 



The American farmer does not have his horses 

 shod upon the absurd principle of high caulkings 

 as we find them in this country, yet their horses 

 have as heavy loads to draw and as steep hills to 

 climb. They study their horse's comfort much 

 more than is done by the farmers and carters of 

 this boasted Christian land. How much strain- 

 ing, fear, torture, and misery, would be taken 

 aAvay from the poor horse if brains were more 

 plentiful in men ! By the very simple contriv- 



