INFLAMMATORY AFFECTIONS 315 



Put thus, treatment of canker would at first sight appear 

 to be easy. One would imagine that a simple and long- 

 continued soaking of the entire foot in a strong enough 

 antiseptic would be all that was needed. Clinical observa- 

 tion, however, show r s that this is not so, and for this there 

 must be reasons. 



The reasons are these : ( 1 ) Between us and the diseased 

 layer upon which our attention must be directed is often a 

 layer of normal horn, effectually protecting the tissues 

 beneath from any dressing w r hich we might consider 

 beneficial. (2) Anything applied with the object of de- 

 stroying septic material, but strong enough, or caustic 

 enough, to injure the membrane upon which we are working, 

 only makes the case worse. The superficial layer of the 

 keratogenous membrane in which we have judged the 

 disease to exist is, after all, but a delicate structure. When 

 attacked by the application of too potent a drug its horn- 

 secreting layer is easily destroyed, and thus, although we 

 may succeed in establishing asepsis, we cannot expect at the 

 point of injury a growth of horn. In its place we are 

 confronted with large outgrowths of inflammatory fibrous 

 tissue. (3) Shedding of the diseased horn and removal of 

 the pressure exerted by the hoof faces us with hypertrophy 

 of the exposed villi. The difficulty of meeting this with an 

 adequate and evenly-distributed pressure is well enough 

 known, and w r e find in that a further reason that the treat- 

 ment of canker is superlatively difficult. (4) The material 

 on which the animal has to stand is a distinct bar to the 

 maintaining of a strict asepsis. 



When we have said this, it is easy to understand that 

 canker is not to be successfully met with any so-called 

 specific — that it makes but little difference what applica- 

 tion may be so long as it is antiseptic, and is used by a man 

 thoroughly conversant with the difficulties he has to contend 

 with, and with his mind firmly set upon surmounting them. 



With this point established, we will not devote more of 

 our space to a consideration of the various dressings that 

 have at different times been highly advocated in the treat- 



