CORNS. 397 



with the escaped blood. In moist and suppurative corns this discolor- 

 ation is less marked than in dry corn and may be entirely wanting. 

 In these cases the horn is soft, often white, and stringy or mealy, as 

 seen in pumiced sole resulting from founder. When the whole thick- 

 ness of the sole is discolored and the horn dry and brittle, it is gen- 

 eralh' evidence that the corn is an old one and that the exciting cause 

 has existed continuously, A moist corn differs from the dry corn 

 in that the injury is more severe; the parts affected are more or less 

 inflamed, and the horn of the sole in the angle is undermined by a 

 citron-colored fluid, which often permeates the injured sole and 

 laminae, causing the horn to become somewhat spongy. 



A suppurative corn differs from others in that the inflammation 

 ends in suppuration. The pus collects at the point of injury and 

 finally escapes by working its way between the sensitive and insensi- 

 ble laminae to the top of the hoof, where an opening is made between 

 the wall and coronary band at or near the heels. This is the most 

 serious form of corns, for the reason that it may induce gangrene of 

 the plantar cushion, cartilaginous quittor, or caries of the coffin bone. 



Treatment. — Since a diversity of opinion exists as to what measures 

 must be adopted for the radical cure of corns, the author will advise 

 the use of those which have proven most efficient in his hands. 



As in all other troubles, the cause must be discovered, if possible, 

 and removed. In the great majority of cases the shoeing will be at 

 fault. While sudden changes in the method of shoeing are not advis- 

 able, it may be said that all errors, either in the preparation of the 

 foot, in the construction of the shoe, or in its application may very 

 properly be corrected at any time. Circumstances may at times make 

 it imperative that shoes shall be worn which are not free from objec- 

 tions; as, for instance, the shoe with a high calk; but in such cases it 

 is considered that the injuries liable to result from the use of calks are 

 less serious than those which are sure to happen for the want of them. 



For a sound foot perfectly formed, a flat shoe, with heels less thicic 

 than the toe, and which rests evenly on the wall proper, is the best. 

 In flat feet it is often necessary to concave the shoe as much as possi- 

 ble on the upper surface, so that the sole may not be pressed upon. 

 If the heels are very low the heels of the shoe may be made thicker. 

 If the foot is very broad and the wall light toward the heels, a bar 

 shoe resting upon the frog will aid to prevent excessive tension upon 

 the soft tissues when the foot receives the weight of the body. A 

 piece of leather placed between the foot and shoe serves largely to 

 destroy concussion, and its use is absolutely necessary on some ani- 

 mals to enable them to work. 



Last among the preventive measures may be mentioned those which 

 serve to maintain the suppleness of the hoof. The dead horn upon 



