CORNSi 305 



stopped, and a poultice placed over all if the inflammation seems to require it. 

 On the following' day a thin pellicle of horn will trequently be found over 

 a part or the whole of the wound. This should be, yet very lightly, touched 

 ag-ain with the caustic; but if there be an appearance of fungus sprouting 

 from the exposed surface, the application of the butyr must be more 

 severe, and the tow again placed over it, so as to afford considerable 

 yet uniform pressure. Many days do not often elapse before the new horn 

 covers the whole of the wound. In these extensive openings the Friar's 

 balsam will not often be successful, but the cure must be effected by the 

 judicious and never too severe use of the caustic. Bleeding at the toe, and 

 physic, will be resorted to as useful auxiliaries when much inflammation 

 arises. 



In searching the foot to ascertain the existence of prick, there is often 

 something very censurable in the carelessness with which the horn is cut 

 away between the bottom of the crust and the sole, so as to leave httle or no 

 hold for the nails, while some months must elapse before the horn will 

 grow down sufficiently far for the shoe to be securely fastened. 



When a free opening has been made below, and matter has not broken 

 out at the coronet, it will rarely be necessary to remove any portion of 

 the horn at the quarters, although we may be able to ascertain by the use 

 of the probe that the separation of the crust extends for a considerable 

 space above the sole. 



CORNS. 



In the angle between the bars c, p. 283, and the quarters, the horn of the 

 sole has sometimes a red appearance, and is more spongy and softer than at 

 any other part. The horse flinches when this portion of the horn is pressed 

 upon, and there is occasional or permanent lameness. This disease of the 

 foot is termed corns : bearing this resemblance to the corn of the human 

 being, that it is produced by pressure, and is a cause of lameness, but dif- 

 fering from it in that the horn, answering to the skin of the human foot, 

 is thin and weak, instead of being thickened and hardened. When it is 

 neglected, so much inflammation is produced in that part of the sensible 

 sole, that suppuration follows, and to that, quittor, and the matter either 

 undermines the horny sole, or is discharged at the coronet. 



The cause is pressure on the sole at that part, by the irritation of which 

 a small quantity of blood is extravasated. The horn is secreted in a less 

 quantity, and of a more spongy nature, and this extravasated blood becomes 

 inclosed in it. 



This pressure is produced in various ways. When the foot becomes 

 contracted, the part of the sole inclosed between the external crust which 

 is wiring in, and the bars which are opposing that contraction (see cut, 

 p. 283), is squeezed as it were in a vice, and becomes inflamed ; hence it 

 is rare to see a contracted foot without corns. When the shoe is suffered 

 to remain on too long, it becomes imbedded in the heel of the foot : the 

 external crust grows down on the outside of it, and the bearing is thrown 

 on this angular portion of the sole. No part of the sole can bear conti- 

 nued pressure, and inflammation and corns are the result. From the 

 length of wear the shoe sometimes becomes loosened at the heels, and 

 gravel insinuates itself between the shoe and the crust, and accumulates in 

 this angle, and even eats into it and wounds it. The bars are too fre- 

 quently cut away, and then the heel of the shoe must be bevelled inwar.d, 

 in order to answer to this absurd and injurious shaping of the foot ; 

 and by this slanting direction of the heel of the shoe inward, an unna- 



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