316 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



ment of the disease. It is interesting, however, to note that 

 intensely irritating and caustic applications have been 

 greatly in favour. Nitric acid, sulphuric acid (either alone 

 or its action reduced by the addition of alcohol, oil, or tur- 

 pentine), arsenic, butter of antimony, creasote, chromic 

 acid, carbolic acid, arsenite of soda, and the actual cautery, 

 have all been used. 



Without dwelling further on that, we may say at once 

 that a correct treatment consists in (1) the removal of all 

 horn overlying infected portions of the keratogenous mem- 

 brane, (2) the application of an antiseptic not too power- 

 fully caustic in its action, (3) frequent changes of the dress- 

 ings in order to insure a maintenance of antisepsis, and 

 (4) the application of an adequate pressure to the exposed 

 soft structures. Thus combated, canker is curable. 



The man who, at the expense of much time and trouble, 

 has demonstrated the truth of these axioms is Mr. Malcolm, 

 of Birmingham. The determination with which he clung 

 to his point that canker was, with correct treatment, in 

 every case curable, was some years ago provocative of much 

 discussion in veterinary circles. That he was successful in 

 proving his contention is more to our point here. It is his 

 method of treatment, therefore, that we shall give, and this 

 we shall do by liberal extracts from Mr. Malcolm's own 

 writings. 



! On the first occasion of operating upon and dressing 

 the cankered foot, it is usually necessary to cast the horse, 

 and this may have to be done at intervals for a second or 

 even third time; but in most cases once is sufficient, sub- 

 sequent dressing being usually accomplished without much 

 difficulty, frequently even without the aid of a twitch. 

 After the horse has been secured, the drawing-knife is first 

 employed ; and if the frog alone is affected, it is unneces- 

 sary even to pare the sole, the removal of all frog horn not 

 intimately adherent to its secreting surface being all that is 

 required. But if both sole and frog be involved, the whole 

 of the sound horn should be first thinned until it springs 

 under the thumb, and then, using a sharp knife, every par- 



