534 COFFIN JOINT, REMEDIES FOR [BOOK III. 



stand at ease, he usually does so with his toe point- 

 ing forwards, so as to keep the pastern in a straight 

 line with the leg, and thereby take off the tension 

 or pressure upon the back sinew and ligaments : the 

 inflammation shortly after reaches the upper part of 

 the sinew, as may be ascertained by passing the 

 hand down over it when the patient flinches. 



Cure. — Blistering at the coronet and fetlock re- 

 peatedly will reduce the inflammation within. A 

 poultice covering the whole foot also tends to the 

 same effect, which will be further assisted by par- 

 ing the sole, if it be not already too thin : reduce the 

 frog also, and do the same for the corresponding foot. 



Formerly they pared the toe tolerably close, and 

 bled it there, by making a longitudinal incision : 

 the usual application of tar, &c. then completed the 

 cure. But this is an operation that is seldom per- 

 formed with sufficient exactness, the incision being 

 too often made unwisely deep, so that other diseases 

 were thus generated at some future day. Others, 

 again passed a seton through the heel to the hollow 

 of the frog, taking care not to touch the semible 

 ssle. A third set apply the actual cautery, which 

 comes least recommended of either of the remedies 

 just described; especially when we consider that 

 the actual disease is very often mistaken for some 

 other; a remark that implies how much caution 

 should be used in first ascertaining the exact seat of 

 the lameness, its cause and symptoms, ere we set 

 about the cure by such violent means. 



