DISRASE8 OF THE FELT. 245 



pressure. The seton should be dressed daily and allowed to remain for 

 about three weeks or a month. The foot must be kept clean. After the 

 seton is removed, the frog must be examined. It will usually be found 

 to be under-run between the two orifices by purulent matter. The de- 

 tached horn must be removed and the exposed part dressed with tar. 



If structural changes have not taken place, this plan of treatment will 

 usually be found effective; but if the lameness continues after a month 

 has elapsed from the date of the removal of the seton, further treatment 

 will be useless. The animal may be fit for easy work. As a rule, the 

 disease will increase and in time render the horse useless. 



The pain, however, though not the disease, may be removed by neu- 

 rotomy. Under the influence of this operation the animal may go with- 

 out lameness for some time. But it must be remembered that the disease 

 is not removed by the operation. The usual result is that the hoof de. 

 cays and falls off. 



Neurotomy, or the division of the nerve leading to the back part of 

 the foot, is useful in destroying the pain which arises from navicular dis- 

 ease. The operation is very simple, but should only be performed by one 

 who has a thorough knowledge of the parts and of surgical operations. 



It may be applied when the foot or feet are good and strong, and 

 where the action is not extravagant. It will prove injurious where the 

 feet are thin or weak at the heels, or whei*e the soles are full or the action 

 is high. In such eases, fever in the feet will probably ensue, as the 

 horse, being relieved of all sensibility in his feet, will indulge in freer 

 action than is good for the health of a weak structure. 



In favorable cases, the horse may go without lameness for some time, 

 but in the end the increase of the disease will cause a complete break- 

 down of the foot. 



Horses which have been unnerved are obviously unsafe off a level road 

 for some time. 



LAMINmS. 

 (see plate IV.) 



Synonyms. — Founder; Fever in the feet; Inflammation of the feet. 

 Defiuition. — Laminitis is in its simple form inflammation of the sen- 

 sitive laminae which cover the outer and upper surface of the pedal bone. 



