FOOT-LAMENESS. 945 



flammation, omit digestive dressing until after it is reduced by 

 poulticing, when dress with digestives. 



There is liable to be tenderness if the sole should strike the 

 ground afterwards, as there may be inflammation of the perios- 

 teum, to relieve which, put on a high-heeled shoe, and blister 

 around the coronet. The sole is sometimes bruised by the shoe 

 pressing upon it, causing much inflammation and lameness. Take 

 off the shoe, poultice for twenty-four hours or more; fit the shoe 

 so as to remove all pressure from the sole; if sore yet, continue 

 the poultice; if matter is formed, treat as you would any simple 

 ulcer, with a healing astringent. Several good preparations are 

 given in another part of this work. 



FOOT-LAMENESS.* 



" Symptoms. Horse goes gradually sore, walking tender 

 either behind or before. As a rule comes in one foot ; if in the 

 hind foot, tries to put the heel down first. Kot much fever in the 

 feet. No apparent cause, hard to locate the trouble. The only 

 diagnosis is by tapping the wall of the foot which will give a 

 hollow sound. It is all duo to want of cell-growth or nutrition of 

 horn-cells which will cause tho wall or hoof to separate from the 

 true foot. At the start the horse may travel sore or tender, grow- 

 ing worse gradually for two or three months ; finally the horse be- 

 comes very lame. There is no fever; no pain by pressure or 

 hammering. The only point noticeable is by the hollow sound of 

 the wall when hammered upon. 



"By examining the sole of the foot at the point where the sole 

 and wall are united, by pricking there with a probo a granulating 

 substance will be found little dry fibers of horn, which are the 

 dead horn-cells. These can be found and pricked clear up to the 

 coronary band, without causing any feeling to the horse. 



" Treatment. Clean out the foot properly, and pour nitric 

 acid into the crevice made until all the dead part is cleaned out. 

 Then put on a plain shoe so as to protect the sole and wall ; fill out 

 the bottom with oakum and hot tar; next fire all around the coro- 

 nary band, the same as for ring-bone, and apply a sharp blister, 

 and allow the horse to stand five or six weeks. If by the third 

 week there is no sign of healthy horn, the blister may again be 

 applied. But there is usually after three or four weeks a good 

 noticeable growth of healthy horn. 



" After this, but little more can be done than to exercise the 

 horse moderately, until the new growth of horn-structure has 

 grown down." 



Dictated by Dr. Charles A. Meyer. OQ 



