180 



DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



angle of about 80° ; thus making a figure more or less in the form 

 of a V. The grooves should be cut, as before directed, through the 

 hard, outer horn, and partly through the soft, white layer. When 

 the proper depth, throughout, has been reached, the triangular 

 portion of horn which has been left between tbe two grooves and 

 the coronet, will readily " give " to the pressure of the thumb. The 

 previously detailed precautions as to filling up the grooves, oiling 

 the wall, stimulating the coronet, shoeing, and easing off the horn 

 on the ground surface of the wall immediately below the crack, 

 should, here, also be observed. The grooves should be made inde- 

 pendently of the downward extent of the fissure; for our object is 

 to isolate, from the effects of concussion, that presumably weak 



Fig. 54. — Operation for sandcrack. 



portion of the coronet which is immediately above the crack, and 

 which has to secrete new, sound horn in place of the broken horn ; 

 and, also, to prevent motion between the divided edges close to 

 the upper extremity of the fissure. It is well to pare away as far as 

 practicable the two pieces of isolated horn which are within the 

 V ; for their presence may cause irritation. 



If the crack extends below the point of meeting of the two 

 grooves, a third groove may be cut across its lower end. 



The grooves should be first made by burning through the hard 

 outer layer of horn with a narrow and curved red hot iron (Fig. 55), 

 so as to mark out the way for the searcher, and to prevent the 

 horn splitting. 



The French method of clasping is performed by heating the 



