KNKF, FKTLOCK, ANKLE, AND FOOT. 1 95 



In practice I prefer to give the newly shod foot a bath for an hour or 

 two in a solution of the sulphate of iron, made by adding two ounces of 

 powdered sulphate to a gallon of cold water. When the foot is removed 

 it is dressed with oakum balls, dipped in a mixture made or Barbadoes 

 tar, one part; oil of turpentine, eight parts, to which are slowly added 

 two parts of sulphuric acid, and the mixture well stirred and cooled. 

 The diseased parts being well covered with the balls, a pad of oakum, 

 sufficiently thick to cause considerable pressure, is placed over them, and 

 all are held in place by pieces of heavy tin fitted to slip under the shoe. 

 The whole foot is now encased in a boot or folded gunny sack, and the 

 patient turned into a loose, dry box. When they are removed all 

 pieces of new hornj' matter, which are not firmly adherent must be 

 rubbed off with the finger or a tent of oakum. As the secretion dimin- 

 ishes dry powders may prove of most advantage, such as calomel, sul- 

 phates of iron, copper, etc. The sulphates .should not be used pure, but 

 are to be mixed with powdered animal charcoal in the proportion of one 

 of the former to eight or ten of the latter. When the soft tissues are 

 all horned over, the dressings should be continued for a time, weak solu- 

 tions being used to prevent a recurrence of the disease. If the patient 

 is run down in condition, bitter tonics, such as gentian, may be given in 

 two-dram doses, twice a day, and a liberal diet of grain allowed. 



Side-Bones. A side-bone consists in a transformation of the lateral 

 cartilages found on the wings of the coifin bone into bony matter by the 

 depositing of lime salts. The disease is a common one, especially in 

 heavy horses used for draft, in cavalry horses, cow-ponies, and other 

 saddle horses, and in runners and trotters. 



Side-bones are peculiar to the fore-feet, yet they occasionally develop 

 in the hind- feet where they are of little importance, since they cause no 

 lameness. In many instances side-bones are of slow growth, and being 

 unaccompanied by acute inflammation, they cause no lameness until 

 such time as, by reason of their size, they interfere with the action of 

 the joint. 



Causes. Side-bones often grow in heavy horses without any ap- 

 parent injury, and their development has been attributed to the over- 

 expansion of the cartilages caused by the great weight of the animal. 

 Blows, and other injuries to the cartilages, may set up an inflammatory 

 process which ends in the formation of these bony growths. High- 

 heeled shoes, high calks, and long feet are always classed among the 

 conditions which may excite the growth of side-bones. They are often 



