INJURIES CONNECTED WITH SHOEING, ETC. 323 



whenever we find great tenderness, upon pressing the sole with 

 the thumb, or striking it gently, we may be assured there is 

 matter underneath, and that it ought to be let out, however 

 thick the horn may be which covers it. If there be no matter, 

 the fact may be known by minute specks of fluid blood appearing 

 on the horn, as we approach the sensible sole. This indicates 

 that no sepai'ation has taken place between the sensible and 

 horny sole, and that there is no disease in the part. Supposing 

 this mistake to have been made, which, however, is very unlikely 

 to be the case if the directions we have given are attended to, 

 the part is to be covered with digestive ointment, and de- 

 fended from pressure, until the horn has grown to its usual 

 thickness. 



Punctured Wounds. 



The horse's foot is often wounded by his stepping on a nail, 

 which, in technical language, is termed picking up a nail. The 

 frog is the part genei'ally wounded, and most commonly on one 

 side. When the nail enters at the back or wide part of the frog, 

 that is, towards the heel, there is much less danger than when 

 it enters near its toe, or termination. In the latter situation, 

 the navicular joint is exposed, and is often wounded, causing 

 obstinate or incurable lameness ; and, should the nail not liave 

 penetrated so far as to enter the joint, it generally wounds the 

 tendon by which it is covered. The treatment is similar to that 

 we have recommended for wounds in shoeing ; that is, opening 

 the wound, paring away the surrounding horn, and pouitices. 

 When the inflammation is considerable, bleeding, bran mashes, 

 and a purgative are useful. After a few days, it will be found 

 that the horn surrounding the wound has been separated from 

 the sensible parts ; when, by pressing gently on it, a little dark- 

 coloured fluid will be observed to ooze from the wound. All 

 the horn that has been thus separated should be carefully re- 

 moved, however extensive it may be. A dressing of digestive 

 ointment is then to be applied, having previously poured a little 

 Friar's balsam or tincture of myrrh into the wound. If the 

 wound does not appear to get better, but discharges a thin 

 yellow fluid, it should be touched carefully with the nitrate of 

 silver, or lunar caustic, and afterwards dressed with Friar's 

 balsam. It sometimes happens, howevei% when the nail has 

 penetrated through the tendon, and injured the navicular joint, 

 that the disease gradually increases, and at length becomes so 

 bad, and so hopeless a case, that it is deemed necessary to destroy 

 the animal. I have seen buttyr of antimony applied with suc- 

 cess to a wound of this kind, a few hours after it happened, and 

 am inclined to believe that in all wounds of tendinous or liira- 



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