PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 127 



pass tliat period with but little or no inconvenience ; the gums being 

 normally capable of severe pressure without pain. At the time of shedding, 

 of course, the gums are above the points of the teeth (their usual protec- 

 tion), and are exposed to irritation and consequent inflammation. The com- 

 mon remedy is astringents such as borax, alum and tannin in solution 

 applied to the gums, counter irritant, as hard corn fed in the ear in some 

 cases. But a better and always successful treatment with me is an 

 active liquid stimulant, either camphorated alcohol, or olive oil and spirits 

 of ammonia combined in about equal parts. This last is the surest and most 

 speedy, although at times rather severe. The period of dentition in the 

 horse is from two to five years old, each year shedding and cutting teeth in 

 difierent portions of the mouth. During the process, of course, the gums 

 are found overlaying the points of new teeth in some part of the mouth, 

 and very subject to inflammation of the parts from the irritation of dentition 

 or cutting, as it is called, possibly to the hindrance of mastication, and 

 sometimes checking the growth of the horse; but in the hands of a skillful 

 attendant, who understands the cause and gives the proper and timely 

 attention, the difficulty seldom becomes serious, and always disappears 

 after the horse attains his full mouth at five years old. It is true that 

 aged or adult horses are often afflicted with ulcerated or inflamed gums 

 that troubles them, and at times may seriously impede mastication. But 

 an examination will usually reveal some local cause, such as tartar around 

 the base of the teeth, irritating and inflaming the gums. Wolf teeth, aa 

 they are called, is another cause of irritation, at times affecting the eyes. 

 The remedy in each case is the removal of the excrescence, and the irrita- 

 tion ceases, the gums heal and the horse thrives again. If the lampas is 

 a specific disease it should have those peculiar characteristics that mark 

 that class of diseases, viz: a periodic run, and common to only one race, 

 and seldom attacking more than once in lifetime the same individual. In no 

 such disease is removal of the parts required by amputation or burning, that 

 I am aware of, or are they ever resorted to, except by empirics or novices. 

 The fireing of the hoof, alluded to by Mr. Carpenter, for split hoof or 

 quarter crack is not a parallel and has no connection whatever with 

 lampas or inflamed gums in the application of remedy. The object in the 

 case of cracked hoof by a cross cut at the junction of the sensible and in- 

 sensible hoof just at the edge of the hair, and that seared with a hot iron 

 is to arrest the connection between the old cracked hoof and the new pro- 

 cess of growth, that the new hoof may be perfect when grown, being dis- 

 connected by the cut and prevented from uniting again by the burning, 

 thus freed from the working of the old crack during the process of new 

 growth — the true remedy in this case — but having no application to the 

 other. The foregoing views, I think, will bo fouud to be sustained in the 

 main by all of the best modern authorities, viz: Youatt, Spooner, Dadd 

 and Mayhewe and others. And nearly all of them characterize the burning 

 and cutting out process as " totally uncalled for and barbarous practice." 

 It was with a view to prevent the endorsement, without dissent, however 

 feeble, by this association, of the cutting and searing system. 



I avail myself of the indulgence of the Club to enter this, my protest, 



