DISEASES OF THE FOOT. 333 



frog Is very tender and rotten, apply the mixture of tar and sul- 

 phuric acid. In old thrushes, physic may be useful, and some 

 alterative medicine. In bad cases, palliation only can be ex- 

 pected, unless a new hoof be obtained of a better kind, by rasping 

 the quarters and thinning the sole, until spots of blood appear; 

 and then, after stopping the feet with tar ointment, turning the 

 horse to grass. 



Thrushes may happen in the fore feet merely from filthiness, 

 and may then be cured as they are in the hind feet. 



The third kind of thrush I have to describe is not so common 

 as the two former, and is no other than incipient canker. It 

 may always be cured by removing from the frog every bit of 

 horn that is detached from the sensible fx'og, and by which a 

 diseased part may be concealed, and then applying to the affected 

 part a saturated solution of blue vitriol, or tar ointment, with 

 sulphuric acid. Cleanliness must be carefully attended to ; and 

 when the disease of the frog has been cured, tar or hoof oint- 

 ment may be employed to promote the regeneration of horn. 



Canker. 



This is an obstinate, and often incurable, disorder of the 

 foot, generally beginning in the frog, and spreading from thence 

 to the other parts, even to the coffin bone. It is often a con- 

 sequence of neglected thrush, or grease, but sometimes comes 

 on without any apparent cause, and most commonly in one or 

 two feet, but sometimes it attacks both the fore and hind feet 

 at the same time. I have now two cases under my care. In 

 one, the near fore foot is principally affected ; the off fore and 

 near hind foot slightly. 



The first animal is a fine saddle horse, and the disorder seems 

 to proceed from the horse standing idle in the stable upon 

 litter, and upon good keep. The latter is a waggon horse that 

 has been Avorked rather hard, and kept upon oats, chaff, and 

 beans, with a small portion of grains, and as much hay as he 

 liked to eat. The saddle horse is nearly cured. The Avaggon 

 horse appears better ; still I fear that the disease in him will 

 prove incurable. One thing is essential in the cure, and that 

 is to remove carefully every bit of horn by which a diseased part 

 may b^ concealed: this must be done at every examination, 

 and the foot must be carefully examined and carefully dressed 

 every day. The treatment of canker and the probability of 

 success, depend upon the length of time it has been^ standing. 

 When taken in hand at an early period, and before it has ex- 

 tended beyond the frog, a daily dressing of a strong solution of 

 blue vitriol, and a stopping of melted tar ointment, or the 

 mixture of tar and sulphuric acid (one ounce of acid to one 



