210 DISEASES OF THE HOESE'S FOOT 



the same manner a prick to the frog that, although deep, 

 is mainly concerned with penetrating the plantar cushion 

 may also be classed as simple. 



Deep or petietratimj when driven with sufficient force or 

 in such a direction as to injure structures whose penetra- 

 tion is calculated to give rise either to serious constitutional 

 disturbance or to permanent lameness. In this category 

 we may place injuries to the terminal portion of the per- 

 forans, puncture of the navicular bursa, fracture of the 

 navicular bone and penetration of the pedal articulation, 

 and splintering of the os pedis. 



Symptoms and Diacpiosis. — While discussing the symp- 

 toms and diagnosis, we will still continue to consider our 

 subject under the two headings of (1) accidental ' gather- 

 ing ' of some foreign body, and (2) pricks inflicted in the 

 forge. 



In a few cases belonging to the former class the 

 veterinary surgeon is fortunate in obtaining a direct history 

 of the injury. The driver has seen the animal go sud- 

 denly lame, and has examined the foot for the cause. 

 Either the nail has been found embedded in the horn, or 

 the puncture it has made detected, and the matter has been 

 reported. The foot is then explored and the full extent of 

 the injury ascertained. 



In many cases, however, it so happens that no evidence 

 of the infliction of the injury is forthcoming. The 

 momentary lameness occurring at the time of the prick 

 is unreported at the time by the attendant, and the horse 

 for a time goes sound. It is not until the changes set up 

 by the subsequent inflammatory phenomena make their 

 appearance, and lameness results, that attention is called to 

 the foot. When this happens there has, as a rule, been 

 time for pus to form around the seat of puncture — a matter 

 of about forty-eight hours. 



The horse is now brought out for the veterinary sur- 

 geon's examination, going distinctly lame. If the case is 

 well marked there may then be noted by the man of 

 experience many little signs pointing to the foot as the 



