RURAL VETERINARY ^ECRETH 155 



apply as to other wounds. Plenty of drainage so as to get the pus 

 away must be given ; hence, pare the foot, steep in a hot, antiseptic solu- 

 tion for a couple of hours, or bath of Lotio Vita, one ounce to a pint 

 of water, may be given daily for an hour. If the hoof is hard, the 

 application of a hot, flaxseed poultice will be useful before doing much 

 paring of the foot. After paring down, baths followed by oakum and 

 tar stoppings are to be preferred to poultices. Pricks from shoeing or 

 from nails picked up on the street, will, if not attended to, result in pus 

 forming and working upwards to the coronet and there breaking out, 

 thus forming what is known as a "quittor". It is needless to say that 

 the treatment for this condition will have to be left to the surgeon. 



CORNS 



Corns are bruises of the sensitive sole, usually in that portion en- 

 closed by the inner angle of the wall and bars and usually present in the 

 fore feet. Weak heels predispose to the disease; very strong heels may 

 also result in this trouble, due to pinching of the sole between them and 

 the pedal bone. 



The causes of corns are several, chief of which is faulty shoeing, 

 l>utting pressure on parts not intended to bear it, by cutting down the 

 liars or putting on short heeled shoes, and especially by the common 

 practice of leaving shoes on horse's feet for months at a time without 

 resetting and removal of excess horn growth. Excessive thinning of 

 the sole and later stepping on a stone will cause the sole bruise (corn). 

 .Some weak-footed horses will have corns in spite of all methods of 

 shoeing; barefooted horses rarely have corns. 



The lameness resulting from corns gets worse as the animal is 

 worked. He may point his foot forward while at rest. If the shoes 

 are removed and the sole pared, the surface will be noticed to be red- 

 dened and in some cases pus may be found, always a serious condition. 

 Removal of the shoe, paring out of the seat of the corn and a poultice 

 to the foot will in cases of lameness, due to a corn, result in almost 

 marvelous cures. 



TREATMENT 



Antiseptics, such as tar, should be used and a bar or thrcc-(|u;irlcr 

 shoe should be put on, care being taken to avoid pressure on the affected 

 parts. 



