DISEASES OF THE FOOT. 379 



crack extends from the coronet downward, for a variable distance, 

 in the direction of the homy fibres. If attended by lameness, 

 the laminge are usually being pinched between the edges of the 

 crack, the irritation is perhaps further increased by the presence 

 of sand and dirt, and fungous growths may appear in the sore. 

 Treatment — A carefully applied bar shoe having an even 

 bearing all round the foot ; a nail driven through the edges of 

 the crack and riveted so as to hold them together ; a transverse 

 groove, f to I inch in length, cut to the quick just above the 

 upper end of the crack, and active stimulation or slight blister- 

 ing of the coronet above this point will usually succeed in 

 obtaining an unbroken growth from above, and when the crack 

 has grown off at the lower border the hoof is perfect. But the 

 inflammation will sometimes demand poulticing ; the nail may 

 have to be replaced by a metallic plate fixed to the hoof on 

 each side of the crack by screws not exceeding a line in length ; 

 a gaping crack may require filling with gutta-percha or other 

 hard substance to keep the edges immovable ; or finally, it may 

 be requisite in bad cases to cut out a V-shaped piece of horn, 

 the apex corresponding to the middle of the crack and the two 

 limbs to the coronet on the two sides of the crack. 



FALSE QUARTER. 



This is similar to a sand-crack in appearance, but caused by 

 such destruction of the secreting structure at the top of the 

 hoof that it is impossible to obtain a growth of horn to fill up 

 the interval. Palliation by careful shoeing is all that can be 

 accomplished. 



HORNY TUMOUR OF THE LAMINA. 



This is a result of sand-crack, the irritation leading to an 

 increased secretion of horn on the inner surface of the hoof- 

 wall, which in its turn may press on the quick and cause lame- 

 ness. With or without any remains of sand-crack there is 



