385 



In flat feet it is often necessary to concave the shoe as much as possi- 

 ble on the upper surface, so that the sole may not be pressed upon. If 

 the heels are very low the heels of the shoe may be made thicker. If 

 the foot is very broad and the wall light toward the heels, a bar shoe, 

 resting upon the frog, will aid to prevent excessive tension upon the 

 soft tissues when the foot receives the weight of the body. A piece of 

 leather placed between the foot and the shoe serves to largely destroy 

 concussion, and its use is absolutely necessary on some animals in that 

 they may be kept at work. 



Lastly, among the preventive measures, may be mentioned those 

 which serve to maintain the suppleness of the hoof. The dead horn 

 upon the surface of the sole not only retains moisture for a long time, 

 but protects the living horn beneath from the effects of evaporation, 

 and for this reason the sole should be i3ared as little as possible. Stuf- 

 fing the feet with flaxseed meal, wet clay, or other like substances ; 

 damp dirt floors or damp bedding of tan-bark, greasy hoof ointments, 

 etc., are all means which may be used to keep the feet from becoming 

 too dry and hard. 



As to the curative measures which are to be adopted much will de- 

 pend upon the extent of the injury. If the case is one of chronic dry 

 corn, with but slight lameness, the foot should be ijoulticed for a day 

 or two and the discolored horn pared out, care being taken not to injure 

 the soft tissues. The heel on the affected side is to be lowered until all 

 pressure is removed, and, if the patient's labor is required, the foot must 

 be shod with a bar shoe or with one having stiff heels. Care must bo 

 taken to reset the shoe before the foot has grown too long, else the shoe 

 will no longer rest on the wall but on the sole and bar. 



In moist corns we believe in cutting them out. If there is inflamma- 

 tion present, cold baths and poultices should bo useil ; when the horn 

 is well softened and the fever allayed, pare out all of the diseased horn, 

 lightly cauterize the soft tissues beneath, and poultice the foot for two 

 or three days. When the granulations look red dress the wound with 

 oakum balls saturated in a weak solution of tincture of aloes or spirits 

 of camphor, and ai)ply a roller bandage. Change the dressing every 

 two or three days until a firm, healthy layer of new horn covers the 

 wound, when the shoe may be put on, as in dry corn, and the patient 

 returned to work. 



In suppurative corns the loosened horn must be removed so that the 

 pus may freely escape. If the pus has worked a passage to the coro- 

 nary band, and escapes from an opening between the band and hoof, 

 an opening must be made on the sole, and cold baths, made astringent, 

 with a little sulphate of iron or copper, are to be used for a day or two. 

 When the discharge becomes healthy the fistulous tracts may be in- 

 jected daily with a weak solution of bichloride of mercury, nitrate of 

 silver, etc., and the foot dressed as after the operation for moist corns. 

 When complications arise the treatment must be varied to meet the 

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