PUNCTURED FOOT, OR PRICK. 549 



spare the animal, say to the men labouring at the forge 

 where the horse is shod, you know no man can help prick- 

 ing an animal, and you shall think nothing of it provided 

 you are told ; but you will put the law in force should the 

 circumstance occur and be concealed. Were the nail imme- 

 diately redrawn, the opening enlarged, and a small quantity 

 of tow with tar put upon the wound, it would commonly 

 heal ; and even should it proceed to suppuration, still a 

 depending orifice would exist for the evacuation of the 

 matter, and the extensive detachment of horn be prevented. 

 When a smith, in shoeing, drives the nail into the inner 

 horny wall, or too fine, he is apt, from fear or shame, to let it 

 remain ; but he ought to be aware a slight bulge takes place 

 during progression : pressure on the vascular parts ensues, 

 and inflammation surely follows if it is not withdrawn. It 

 happens, even when he is aware that the nail has pene- 

 trated the inner surface of the horn, and wounded the vas- 

 cular parts, he is often then hopeful to conceal that which 

 not avowed becomes his fault. The offending nail being 

 allowed to remain, the inflammation is considerable the 

 same night, or perhaps not till one or two days afterwards. 

 In such cases, as suppuration proceeds, the confined matter 

 spreads around, detaching a portion of the fleshy from the 

 horny sole, more or less considerable ; at last extending 

 upward, it finds itself an exit by an opening at the coronet, 

 and a quittor is established. In proceeding, the inflamma- 

 tion does not always confine itself to the punctured portion 

 of the sensitive laminae ; but often, when not assisted by an 

 artificial opening, it extends to parts less vascular ; sinuses 

 form inwardly. Fortunately, however, the vital action 

 of the sensitive sole and laminse being extreme, the mat- 

 ter usually proceeds outward, and finds an exit at the 

 coronet. 



It may, therefore, in pursuing this subject, be stated, that 

 at any time when a horse becomes lame within a week after 

 he has been shod, if the origin of it be hid in any obscurity, 

 the shoe should be always removed, and the foot gently 

 struck all over with the hammer. If the lameness springs 

 from this source, and any part be injured by one nail in 

 particular, at that part the stroke will occasion the horse to 



