HOOF -EOT. 367 



died afternoon — generally a rainy one, when nothing else 

 can he done — is selected. Possibly a little straw is put on the 

 floor of the stable at first — ^but in half an hour every foot is 

 full of soft dung. The farmer, his hired man, and perhaps a 

 boy or two, sit down to the task. Each is armed with a 

 thick, broad-bladed, dull "jack-knife." The whole party 

 then proceed literally to " out and sear !" Some of the feet 

 are cut down deeply into the quick, so that blood gushes 

 from them in streams — others, which have too tough hoofs, 

 have them left half an inch thick at the sole — covering up, 

 very likely, rapidly developing ulcers. Blood and dung and 

 " medicine" are left applied in about equal proportions to each 

 foot. To crown the whole proceeding, the sheep are turned 

 out as fast as " doctored" into the rain, or into wet grass, so 

 that in ten minutes' time not a trace of the remedy applied 

 remains on the foot. In such flocks the disease is barely 

 kept at bay : it is never cured. The second and third year 

 the " doctorings" become less and less frequent — but they 

 must be resorted to occasionally, perpetually, or some of the 

 sheep will get down on their knees. The farmer always finds 

 bitter fault with the " medicine." He gets a new kind — with 

 more ingredients* — and tries again. But he never finds the 

 right one ! 



The above picture is, doubtless, an extreme one — ^but do 

 we not all constantly witness more or less near practical 

 approximations to it ? The separation of the sheep, poultic- 

 ing, inclosing of the foot, &c., I believe to be unnecessary — 

 but the feet must be well prepared, and the sheep must be kept 

 out of the rain, or grass wetted by rain or dew, for twenty- 

 four or thirty-six hours afterward — the longer the better. 

 Without this the most careful preparation, of the fQot and 

 . the best remedies cannot be made effectual. It is true that 

 out-door moisture will not prevent the esoharotic efiects of 

 powerful caustics, which do that portion of their work almost 

 at oncef — but these are not beneficially applied in ordinary 

 cases ; and when properly applied I am not prepared to say 

 what would be the efiects of the immediate and long continued 



* In this particular Mr. Eobert Smith's English " halt receipt," is a pattern 1 If 

 such a jumble of Ingredients, fortunately, do not chance to counteract each other, no 

 well informed man ought for a moment to suppose there can he any utility in com- 

 pounding so many articles to^etheir. This remedy I doubt not is a good one, as a 

 Whole, — but it does, in my opinion, contain some substances which neutralize each 

 other's medicinal properties ! 



t I Should consider that moisture highly beneficial in diluting those powerful and 

 deeply corroding caustics which are sometimes profiisely applied to the bottom and 

 sides of the toes and in the cleft between them— such as aqua-fortis and oil of vitriol. 



