530 CAUSES OF CORNS, FIGG, &C. [BOOK III. 



THE CORN. 



Causes. — An entire series of disorders, as canker, 

 sand-crack, corn, and founder, may be referred to 

 the same original causes ; namely, a heated or in- 

 flammatory state of the blood, which accident may . 

 concur to bring forward in one or other form, ac- 

 cording to circumstances. We shall not repeat 

 what is already said on the two first-mentioned 

 appearances a few pages higher up, but merely 

 add, that distortion and undue pressure on the sen- 

 sible sole occasions that irritation which brings on 

 inflammation at its edge, where the shuttle-bone, 

 or heel-bone, presses down upon it at every step, 

 and causes the utmost bending that the minute 

 elasticity of the hoof allows of; but contraction of 

 the heel, which accompanies hot, brittle, and in elas- 

 tic hoofs, prevents its bending duly and truly, and 

 lateral pressure upon the quarters follows. The 

 sole being thus closely pent up, the circulation is 

 obstructed in its passage to and from the cavity of 

 the coffin-bone, and a deposite of blood, which 

 soon becomes offensive matter, is the consequence. 

 Bad shoeing, whereby the heels are pinched, also, 

 when the ragged hoof is left, which may have con- 

 tained particles of sand, will cause irritation, and 

 end in corn, or Jigg ; as will also the fault of mak- 

 ing the shoe too short at the heel, so that the heel 

 of the horse in time grows out over it. 



Symptoms. — The mischief thus commenced with- 

 in shows itself between the bar and the crust, or 



