170 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



A like favourable prognosis may be given in the case of 

 cracks occasioned by purely accidental causes. 



Ordinarily, however, cracks once commenced tend rather 

 to increase than decrease in size and severity. From being- 

 superficial and incomplete, they become complete and deep, 

 with every unfavourable circumstance that an increase in 

 size and depth brings with it. 



This much, however, may be promised to the owner. A 

 simple crack, even though originating from the coronary 

 margin, is, in the vast majority of cases, curable- Under a 

 rational treatment its increase in size may be prevented, 

 and a sound wall caused to grow down from the coronet. 



Treatment. — The principles governing the treatment of 

 sand-crack are simple enough in themselves, if not always 

 followed by success. 



1. Preventive. 



This, as a rule, does not suggest itself until a crack of 

 greater or less extent has made its appearance. Then, 

 simultaneously with the treatment proper of the lesion, 

 preventive measures should be adopted, to aid both in the 

 healing of the fissure already present, and to ward off the 

 occurrence of others that might be likely to form. The 

 hoof, if abnormally brittle, should be regularly dressed with 

 a suitable ointment (one containing glycerine for prefer- 

 ence), and its horn kept as nearly as possible in a normal 

 condition. When the condition of the horn predisposing to its 

 fracture is brought about by excessive wet, then the appro- 

 priate preventive measures to be adopted suggest themselves. 



With regard to the lesion itself, we may term ' preventive 

 treatment ' all those measures having for their object the 

 prevention of increase in the size of the crack. They are 

 as follows : 



(a) Blistering the Coronet. — In a simple case, where the 

 crack is superficial and close under the coronary margin of 

 the wall, a sharp cantharides blister to the coronet imme- 

 diately above it will have the desired effect. An increased 

 secretion of horn is brought about, and by this simple 



