DISEASES OF THE FOOT. 371 



should fit accurately at all points to the hoof. Bad as it is for 

 horn to be seared, it is better to apply the shoe, momentarily, 

 at a dull red heat, that any imperfection in fitting may be de- 

 tected and remedied, than to hurry on a shoe which bears un- 

 equally on different points. If the sole joins the wall without 

 a break, the two forming one continuous bearing surface, and if 

 both are of their natural thickness, the shoes are better to be 

 coarsely fullered and the nails driven low, the fullering becom- 

 ing finer and the nails being driven lower as we proceed from 

 before backward, especially on the inner side. When the nails 

 have been drawn up and riveted any roughness of the rivets 

 may be removed with a file, but this should not touch the hoof 

 if it is possible to avoid it In turning down the clinches better 

 make a slight depression beneath each with the point of the 

 drawing-knife than an extended transverse furrow with the rasp, 

 as is usually done. Remove the shoes before the hoofs have 

 overgro\vn them so as to allow them to settle on the sole, and 

 above all before the gi-owth of the toe has drawn the shoe for- 

 ward, and let the heel press upon that part of the sole. 



DISEASE OF THE BONY PULLEY AND FLEXOR TENDON OF THE 

 FOOT. PEDAL SESAMOIDITIS, PODOTROCHILITIS, NAVIC- 

 ULAR DISEASE. 



This affection, misnamed Coffin-johd Disease, implicates the 

 lower surface of the small sesamoid bone of the foot, its synovial 

 sac and ligaments, and the flexor tendon which plays over it. 



Causes. — It is especially the disease of fast horses, and may 

 be largely charged to friction between the tendon and its bony 

 pulley, to overwork and concussion. But it may also depend on 

 injuries to the foot from bad shoeing ; undue paring ; setting in 

 of the shoe on the sole ; imprisoned flakes of horn acting as 

 foreign bodies ; bruises from stones or hardened clay ; rasping, 

 hardening, and contraction of the foot ; drying and shrinking 

 of the foot from standing too long idle in the stall : iniurv to 

 the quick from uneven bearing of the shoe in connection with 



