TKEATMENT OF CONTRACTION. 349 



the lateral and central furrows of the frog with some plastic 

 composition. 



If, however, the frog is attacked with thrush, or if other 

 diseases of the hoof accompany defects in the bearing surface of 

 the wall, a simple leather sole and stopping are more useful. 



The bar shoe with leather sole can also be used in uni- 

 lateral contraction with displacement of the bulbs. As the 

 chief object is to restore the bulbs of the frog to their normal 

 position and to thrust outwards the contracted wall, it must 

 be borue in mind that the upward displacement of the bulbs 

 results from excessive and irregularly distributed weight. 

 Various authors and practitioners recommend lowering the 

 affected heel wall until there is a clear space between it and 

 the shoe, thinking thus to allow the affected bulb to sink, but 

 experience shows that this often fails in its object. Lowering 

 the affected heel is not sufficient ; it is of much greater im- 

 portance to throw the weight of the body on the wall of the 

 opposite quarter and heel. To effect this the hoof should be 

 pared and shod so as to bring the higher side to the ground a 

 little earlier than the other, though it is necessary to avoid 

 distorting the axis of the foot, and to fit the shoe close to the 

 outline of the sound heel, but somewhat broader and longer 

 than that of the unhealthy one. If this style of tread cannot 

 be produced by trimming the hoof alone, the branches of the 

 shoe can be made of unequal thickness. A leather sole with 

 plenty of stopping will greatly assist recovery. 



6. Filling the hoof with cement is a slow method, and it is 

 absolutely necessary that the cement should thoroughly cover 

 the limbs of the frog. Straw or cork soles or Hartmann's 

 rubber pads are to be preferred on account of their continued 

 pressure, though precautions must be taken against thrush. 

 The gutta-percha composition may advantageously be tried ; 

 being perfectly plastic it moulds itself to all the depressions of 

 the ground surface of the hoof, and exercises an exceedingly 

 even and, therefore, efficacious pressure. In the treatment of 

 unilateral contraction the bar shoe and leather sole are to be 

 preferred to all other measures. Plenty of tow must be used 

 in the furrow of the frog on the diseased side, so as to main- 

 tain constant pressure. 



