320 INFLAMMATION OF THE HOOF. 



trimmed, partly to assist the action of poultices, should such be 

 required, partly to make the horny capsule more yielding (and 

 to discover injury caused by gathered nail, etc.). If the sole is- 

 coloured yellow, yellowish-green, yellowish-red, red, or pink, 

 we know that blood has been, extravasated and has penetrated 

 the horn. The cutting out of the diseased hoof should follow 

 the examination with pincers, and the amount removed should 

 not be sufficient to alter tiie direction of the limb, nor the 

 manner of tread. 



To limit the local inflammation the hoof should be kept cool 

 and soft. The difficultv is less to cool it than to soften the 

 horn, and so, by relieving pressure on the inflamed spot, to 

 favour free circulation of blood. Linseed-meal poultices, to 

 which is added some antiseptic, act most effectually, especially 

 when frequently mmstened with water. A piece of sacking 

 20 to 30 inches square is taken, the poultice placed in the 

 centre, the foot placed on the poultice, and the sides of the 

 sacking drawn upwards and fastened around the coronet by a 

 bandage or straw band, which impedes the flow of blood much 

 less than cords or straps. The portions of sacking which pro- 

 ject above the straw band are then turned downwards and 

 fastened securely below the straw band by means of a tape. 

 To thoroughly soften the hard, dry hoof it is necessary to leave 

 the poultice forty-eight hours in position and to moisten it freely 

 with water during that time. In fact it does no harm to leave 

 the poultice in position until the pain has greatly diminished. 

 But this method must not he resorted to when pus formcdion has 

 oecurred, as it favours discharge of pus at the coronet and the 

 formation of ' quittor.' After removing the poultice the hoof 

 is washed clean, the shoe replaced, if necessary, and the hoof 

 rubbed with vaseline or fat. Instead of the poultice described, 

 six or eight thicknesses of wet linen may be wound round the 

 hoof and retained in position by a leather or felt boot. 



The onset of suppuration is notified by severe, continued 

 pain and marked pulsation of the digital arteries. To provide 

 free drainage for the pus, the most painful spot has first to be 

 discovered. The sole should then be thinned all round the 

 painful spot until the sensitive structures are reached, the bear- 

 ing surface of the wall being left intact. For this purpose a 

 ' searcher,' t.c, a special knife with a slender blade, or the in- 



