34 SOUNDNESS IN HORSES. 



mention that the cornea has to be punctured in the 

 operation for " worm in the eye." " The opacities are, 

 only when sufficiently large, or when so situated as to 

 interfere Avith sight, to be regarded as causes of un- 

 soundness." ( Williams.) 



Cracked heels (chronic erythema). — As regards the 

 question of soundness, it matters little that we are unable 

 to draw a sharp line of distinction between this disease, 

 and " grease ; " for any case of the former which might 

 be classed as one of the latter, would be an undoubted 

 unsoundness. Although a slight roughness, or a few 

 scabs at the back of the pastern or pasterns, as the case 

 may be, might be passed over; still, if the general 

 surface of the skin of the part be inflamed, even without 

 being broken, the horse should be regarded as unsound ; 

 for such a condition is often difficult to remove, and may 

 give rise to a great deal of inconvenience to the affected 

 animal. In old-standing cases, the fissures in the skin 

 may, apparently, heal up all right ; but as long as any 

 thickening of the part, or inflammation in it, remains, 

 the skin will be apt to become sore again on very slight 

 provocation. If the skin be at all tender, or if there 

 exist in it any scars from previous attacks of this in- 

 flammation, the quicker the work, the more liable will 

 the ailment be to assume an aggravated form, or to 

 commence anew, as the case may be ; on account of the 

 skin of the part being subjected to a greater amount of 



