402 



the diseased bone is exposed, when all the dead particles are to oe 

 removed with a drawing-knife and the wound dressed with a 5 per 

 cent solution of carbolic acid, oakum balls, and a roller bandage. 



Wounds of the bone which are made by a blunt-pointed instrument, 

 like the square-pointed cut nail, in which a portion of the surface is 

 driven into the deeper parts of the l)one, always progress slowly, and 

 should be operated upon as soon as the conditions are favorable. Even 

 wounds of the navicular bone, accompanied by caries, may be oper- 

 ated on and the life of the patient saved; but the most skillful sur- 

 gery is required in these cases and only the experienced operator 

 should undertake their treatment. 



If there is an escape of pure sjaiovial fluid from a wound of the sole, 

 without injury to the bone, a small pencil of corrosive sublimate 

 should be introduced to the l)ottom of the wound and the foot dressed 

 as directed above. 



Tlie other complications are to ])e treated as directed under their 



proper lieadings. 



After healing of the wounds has been effected, lameness, with more 

 or less swelling of the coronary region, may remain. In these cases 

 the coronet should be blistered, or even fired with the actual cautery, 

 and the patient turned to pasture. If the lameness still persists, and 

 is not due to a stiff joint, unnerving may be resorted to, and in many 

 cases with very good results. If the joint is anchylosed of course no 

 treatment can relieve it, and the patient must eitber be put to very 

 slow work or kept for breeding purposes only. 



'' Prich ill shoeing'' is an injury which should be considered under 

 the head of punctured wounds of the foot. The nails by which the 

 shoe is fastened to the hoof may produce an injury followed by infiam- 

 mation and suppuration in two days, either by penetrating the soft 

 tissues directly or by being driven so deep that the inner layers of the 

 horn of the wall are pressed against the soft tissues Avith such force 

 as 1o crush them. In either case the animal generally goes lame 

 soon after shoeing unless the injury is at the toe, when the first evi- 

 dence of the trouble may be the discharge of pus at the coronet. 

 When lameness follows close upon the setting of the shoes, Avith- 

 out other appreciable cause, each nail should be lightly struck with 

 a hammer, when the one at fault will l)e detected by the flinching of 

 the animal. 



Tlie treatment consists in drawing the nail, and if the soft tissues 

 have been penetrated, or if suppuration has commenced, the horn 

 must be pared away until the diseased parts are exposed. The foot 

 is now to be poulticed for a day or two, or until the lameness and 

 suppuration have ceased. If the discharge of pus from the coronet is 

 tlie first evidence of the disease the offending nail must be found and 

 removed, the parts pared out, and a weak solution of carbolic acid 

 injected at the cononet until the fistulous tract has healed. 



