Diseases of the Foot. 465 



the quarters and lieels, where the heat, dryiug and disuse 

 are greatest. Testing the margin of the hoof with pincers 

 will not elicit tenderness, unless there is accompanying 

 disease of the lateral parts of the foot (corns, bruises, 

 pricks, absorption or distortion of the heels of the pedal 

 bone, side bones, etc.,) but tapping the sole with a hammer 

 on each side of the body of the frog, or striking the wall 

 in the region of the quarter will cause the patient to fliach. 

 Pressure with the thumb over the middle of the flexor 

 tendon, on its inner side or on its outer, as deeply as can 

 be reached in the hollow of the heel, the foot being bent 

 back, causes suffering. There is more or less wasting ot 

 the muscles of the limb from disuse, but this is especially 

 marked on the breast, above the elbow and outside the 

 shoulder-blade. Hence the disease is usually referred to 

 the shoulder as sweeny. It is most readily confounded 

 with sprain of the flexor tendon behind the head of the 

 small pastern bone, but is easily distinguished by the heat 

 and contraction of the heels and the tenderness of the 

 centre of the sole and the quarters to strokes of the ham- 

 mer. To distinguish it from other diseases of the feet 

 I must refer to these individually. 



Treatment. Usually unsatisfactory except in certain 

 recent cases. First soothe inflammatory action, give a lax- 

 ative (aloes), remove the shoes, shorten the toe, and keep 

 standing from morning to night in a puddle of wet clay 

 without stones or gravel, in which the animal wiU sink to 

 the top of the hoof. At night place in a comfortable dry 

 BtaU with a poultice on the diseased foot. Unless the in- 

 flammation is severe, apply a mild blister to the front and 

 sides of the pastern. If not applied at first this should be 

 resorted to as soon as inflammation moderates, and is to 

 be repeated when the effects of the first pass off. Cases 

 that resist this treatment will frequently recover under the 

 action of a seton passed through the frog, and a run for a 

 month or two in a damp pasture free from stones. The 

 recovery may be a restoration to perfect soundness, when 



