124 



Remove foreign substances before closing the fissure ; but 

 on no account bevel the edges of the fissure, nor introduce the 

 knife or cautery into the fissure, nor make any internal inci- 

 sion at the extremity of the crack, nor use a ligature of any 

 kind ; but simply approximate the edges by gradual expansion 

 of the quarters, and keep on a shoe that you can expand when- 

 ever the case appears to require it, and to keep the crack 

 closed while it is growing down and out. 



Removing the external exposes the internal edges to atmos- 

 pheric influences. The latter are apt to become dry and curl 

 up, and set up a new source of irritation if they should happen 

 to be unprotected for a day or two, and may prolong the period 

 assigned for the cure indefinitely. The hoof should be poul- 

 ticed for a few days prior to and following the operation. 



Rapid obliteration of the crack can be best promoted by 

 keeping the coronary ligament stimulated. (See Hoof Stimu 

 ulants in the Appendix of Formulae and the whole hoof in a 

 moderately moist condition.) In a few weeks, even the coron- 

 ary ligament^ if ruptured, will have become united, and a new 

 and continuous circle of horn will have formed, and in from 

 nine to twelve months, depending on the care taken of the case 

 the whole of the crack will have disappeared and an entirely 

 new foot of normal dimensions will have taken the place of the 

 old one. I can cure a majority of all cases within a fortnight, 

 and an acute professional examiner not previously aware of the 

 existence of a crack in the quarter, would have to make a very 

 close examination to detect it, and it would escape the notice 

 a less acute one altogether. 



FALSE QUARTER. SHELLY FOOT. SEEDY TOE. 



FALSE QUARTER 



is the result of an injury to the coronary ligament, which may 

 be caused by a solution of continuity of the ligament as a conse- 

 quence of severe Quarter-crack, or the ravages of a Quittor, or 

 other severe injury to the ligament in that region. It may be 



