226 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



The time that an operation wound of this description 

 takes to heal — and that without complication — is from one 

 to two or three months. Continuation of pain and inten- 

 sity of lameness are not to be taken as indications of 

 failure. The reparative inflammation in the synovial 

 membrane is quite sufficient to induce pain severe enough 

 to prevent the animal from placing his foot to the ground 

 for some weeks, even though the progress of the case, all 

 unknown, may be all that is desired. So long as a great 

 amount of pain is absent, and so long as appetite remains 

 and swellings in the hollow of the heel fail to make their 

 appearance, so long may the progress of the case be deemed 

 satisfactory. 



Recorded Case of the Treatment. — A cart-horse, aged six 

 years, was sent to the Alfort School by a veterinary surgeon 

 for having picked up a nail in the hind-foot. Professor 

 Cadiot, judging the necessity for the complete operation, 

 performed it on January 14, and spared the plantar cushion 

 a c much as possible. In consequence of the plantar apo- 

 neurosis being extensively necrosed, it was advisable to 

 scrape the navicular bone and a part of the semilunar 

 crest. The wound having been washed with a 1 per cent, 

 solution of perchloride of mercury, it was dusted with iodo- 

 form and packed with gauze, and covered with a cotton- 

 wool dressing, kept in position by means of a suitable shoe. 



On January 16 there was no snatching up of the limb 

 when the horse was made to put weight upon it; he ate 

 his food well, and his condition improved every day. On 

 January 21 the dressing was removed ; the wound appeared 

 pinky and granular, and there was no suppuration. The 

 clot remaining from the haemorrhage after the operation 

 was removed, the wound was irrigated with a hot solu- 

 tion of sublimate, and then dusted with iodoform and 

 covered with a dressing of iodoform gauze and absorbent 

 wool. At this date the horse could stand on the injured 

 limb. On January 31a second dressing was made, and the 

 animal almost walked sound. On February 7 the wound 

 had almost closed up, save in its central part, where there 



