190 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



stone. The stone becomes firmly wedged in between the 

 inner border of the branch of the shoe and the bar or the 

 frog. With every step the animal takes it becomes wedged 

 more tightly into position. Projecting below the level of 

 the lower surface of the shoe, it imparts the concussion 

 it thus obtains directly to the sole. A bruise — and a bad 

 bruise — is the result. 



Finally, it cannot be denied that the work the horse is 

 put to is largely responsible for the causation of corn. In 

 country animals corns are comparatively rare, while in 

 animals in town, almost constantly upon hard paving, they 

 are common. This seems to point strongly to the fact that 

 concussion through constant work upon unyielding roads is 

 a great factor in their production. 



Symptoms. — Unless the discoloration of the horn is 

 accidentally discovered by the smith, the simple, dry corn 

 may go undetected. The disturbance excited by it is so 

 small, and the pain occasioned so slight, that the patient 

 may offer no indication of its existence. 



Ordinarily, however, the first symptom is that of pain. 

 The animal goes feelingly with one or both feet, in some 

 cases even showing decided lameness. The lameness, how- 

 ever, is in no way diagnostic, and the lesion itself must be 

 discovered before an exact opinion can be pronounced. 



As an aside, it is well to observe in this connection that 

 a negative opinion as to the existence of corn should never 

 be given unless the superficial layers of horn have first 

 been removed with the knife. 



When standing at rest the animal exhibits signs more or 

 less common to all foot lamenesses. He ' points ' the foot — 

 in other words, the limb is slightly advanced, the fetlock 

 partly flexed, and the heels from off the ground. When 

 both feet are affected they are pointed alternately, and the 

 animal often manifests this uneasiness by repeated pawing 

 movements, and by scraping his bedding behind him. 



Should the injury run on to suppuration, the lameness 

 becomes most acute. The pawing movements become more 

 pronounced, and there is evident disinclination on the part 



