107 



under ordinary circumstances are immensely benefited by giv- 

 ing the shoe this form. It is not a practice, however, that I 

 can recommend for the trotting horse, intended to be driven 

 at the highest rate of speed, as a certain amount of leverage 

 power is necessarily lost by shifting the point of contact with 

 the ground from the toe to the broad part of the foot. 



I scarcely need say that the old shoe should be removed and 

 the expanding shoe attached with all the care possible under 

 the circumstances, and the expansion should be gradual, and 

 adapted to the exigencies of the cases. Thorough poulticing 

 is, of course, a prime necessity, to soften the horn and to soothe 

 the pain. 



LOCAL BLEEDING DESIRABLE. 



Depletion of the blood-vessels of the affected foot or feet, 

 may be employed or not. It is not, as a rule, an essential pro- 

 ceeding. I must say, however, that I think recoveries take 

 place quicker in extremely acute cases, when about a quart of 

 blood has been taken from each foot before affixing the expand- 

 ing shoe. This is one of the few cases in which I tolerate 

 bleeding. 



CONSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT. 



If the animal suffers much constitutional irritation, sedatives, 

 such as aconite, arnica, belladonna, hyoscyamus, or opium (see 

 Appendix of Formulae) may be administered with advantage ; 

 and in extreme cases the same agents may be added to the 

 poultices, applied to the feet. This, however, is rarely required, 

 the relief of pressure given by the expansion of the quarters 

 having an almost magical effect in relieving both the local and 

 constitutional symptoms of pain. Judicious exercise, once, 

 twice, or three times a day for short periods, suitable to^the 

 exigencies of the case, as it promotes the circulation^ of new 

 blood through the foot, will restore a healthy tone to the tissues 

 in a surprisingly short time. The foregoing is an outline of 

 the treatment I have found to be as far ahead of Mr. Broad's 

 special treatment, as that gentleman's is in advance of the 

 ordinary professional routine, implied in the phrase "antiphlo- 

 gistic measures to the fullest extent." See Chronic Laminitis. 



